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For example, are both of the following sentences correct:

If it is cold out, you both will need a coat.

If it is cold out, you will both need a coat.

And do they mean the same thing?

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Zeke Hernandez
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    There’s only a difference if both is ambiguous. “They are both journalists and writers” can mean that both of them have journalist and writer as their profession, or that they (however many ‘they’ are) have both journalist and writer as their profession. “They both are journalists and writers” can only mean the former. – Janus Bahs Jacquet Sep 13 '18 at 14:29
  • This source says the following: "When both refers to the subject of a clause, it can go with the verb. It is put after auxiliary verbs and before other verbs. When there are two auxiliary verbs, both usually goes after the first."

    I just don't know how credible it is.

     – Zeke Hernandez Sep 13 '18 at 14:48
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    I actually think John Lawler answers my question in The function of all, both, and each: "That's because they're Quantifiers, not just pronouns. One thing that all, both, and each can do is appear in their normal position modifying a noun phrase, or appear in an adverbial position before the main verb or (after the first auxiliary verb if there is one). This rule is called "Q-Float". Only some quantifiers can float, however; each and all float, but every and any don't" – Zeke Hernandez Sep 13 '18 at 15:03
  • @FumbleFingers, I agree that it is a possible duplicate, but that question was closed and not really answered. See my above comment for what I believe the correct answer to be. – Zeke Hernandez Sep 13 '18 at 15:09
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    Both is subject to the rule of Quantifier-Float, which places the quantifier in an adverbial slot in the verb phrase; this slot can be either right before the first auxiliary, or right after it. There is no difference in meaning, because auxiliaries don't have quantizable meaning. – John Lawler Sep 13 '18 at 16:33
  • That's going to have to be a big coat to cover both of them. – Davo Sep 13 '18 at 20:22
  • @JohnLawler, if you put your comment as an answer, I will accept that one. – Zeke Hernandez Sep 13 '18 at 20:38

1 Answers1

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They both mean the same thing, however, the emphasis is different. Read them out loud and you'll notice the natural point of intonation (at least for myself) is on the word "both". In sentence 1, it sounds as if the speaker is putting heightened emphasis on the fact that BOTH of you will need a coat whilst in the second one it sounds a bit more lax.

Jlamlam
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