[化学論文のための英語講座] 第39回：Bothの使い方

(English version is here.)

以下の文章の誤りがわかりますか？

The both substrates were washed with ethanol and then dried under air.
訳文：両方の基板をエタノールで洗浄し、大気中で乾燥させた。

「Both」の使用は慣用的です。重要なポイントは「the」を付けないことです。「Both substrates」が適切です。「The two substrates」でも正しいです。さらに前置詞の有無は場合によって変わります。以下の例文を見てみましょう。

1. Both substrates were washed with ethanol.
解説：これは正しいです。

2. Both of the substrates were washed with ethanol.
解説：これは正しいです。「of the」を入れても意味は変わりません。

3. Both the substrates were washed with ethanol.
解説：これは間違いではありませんが、例文１と２のほうが適切です。

4. Both of substrates were washed with ethanol.
解説：これは誤りです。「of」を使うのであれば「the」が必要になります。

5. Both two substrates were washed with ethanol.
解説：これはちょっとわかりにくいです。「Both two substrates」は「基板２つ」か「基板二組２つ」のどちらの意味か不明確ですので他の言い方が望ましいでしょう。「Two both substrates」も誤りです。

「Both」の使い方は慣用的なので、暗記しましょう。

次回は「動名詞と不定詞 Part 5」です。

Use of Both

Can you spot the error in the sentence below?

The both substrates were washed with ethanol and then dried under air.

The use of both is idiomatic. The important point is to not add the. Both substrates is appropriate. The two substrates is also correct. Furthermore, the presence or absence of a preposition changes depending on the case. Let us look at the following examples.

1. Both substrates were washed with ethanol.
Explanation: This is correct.

2. Both of the substrates were washed with ethanol.
Explanation: This is correct. Adding of the does not change the meaning.

3. Both the substrates were washed with ethanol.
Explanation: This is not incorrect, however examples 1 and 2 are more appropriate.

4. Both of substrates were washed with ethanol.
Explanation: This is incorrect. If of is used, the becomes necessary.

5. Both two substrates were washed with ethanol.
Explanation: This is a bit difficult to understand. It is not clear whether both two substrates means two substrates or two sets of two substrates and thus, another way of saying this is desirable. Two both substrates is also a mistake.

The use of both is idiomatic and thus should be memorized.

At next time, we will discuss the Gerunds and Infinitives 5.