Questions & Answers about Rapor iki büyük riski işaret ediyor.
Why does işaret ediyor take the accusative case (riski) here instead of the dative (riske)?
The verb işaret etmek can take either the dative or the accusative case depending on the nuance. When it means pointing at or pointing to a direction or thing, it takes the dative (-e/-a). When it means indicating, highlighting, or pointing something out abstractly, it often takes the accusative (-i/-ı). Here, the report is singling out these risks, so the accusative is used.
Since "two big risks" seems indefinite in English, why does riski have the definite accusative suffix (-i)?
In Turkish, even when a number is used, the definite accusative is applied if the items are a specific, known set in the speaker's mind. The report has identified two specific major risks. Additionally, when işaret etmek means to specify or to highlight, it naturally treats its object as a defined thing, triggering the accusative case.
How would we apply this lesson's topic to say "The report indicates that there are two big risks"?
You would use a factive complement clause with the verb olmak (to be). It would become: Rapor iki büyük risk olduğuna işaret ediyor. Notice that when taking a full clause to say points to the fact that..., the verb işaret etmek typically goes back to using the dative case on the clause's suffix (olduğuna).