usage of neither.. nor with both/each

[MIP]

Which of the following are correct ?

1. Neither my mother nor my father, both of whom are
English professors, agrees with my contention that
James Joyce’s novel Ulysses is overrated.

Can we use "both" here ??

2. Neither my mother nor my father, each of whom are
English professors, agrees with my contention that
James Joyce’s novel Ulysses is overrated.

[Guest]

Cut and paste error.. The second sentence should be. Please ignore the second sentence from above post..

2. Neither my mother nor my father, each of whom is an
English professors, agrees with my contention that
James Joyce’s novel Ulysses is overrated.

[RonPurewal]

Which of the following are correct ?

1. Neither my mother nor my father, both of whom are
English professors, agrees with my contention that
James Joyce’s novel Ulysses is overrated.

Can we use "both" here ??

no.
you can't use "both" unless you have a COMPOUND noun, i.e., a noun connecting two things with "and" (or something else that groups two things/people together, such as "the two sisters").
in 'neither/nor' constructions, the 2 nouns are separate, and so any following modifiers necessarily modify only the latter of the two nouns. so this sentence (illogically) applies "both of whom" to just the father!

i'd rephrase the sentence as follows:
my mother and father, both english professors, disagree with my contention that...
i understand that there may be a very slight change of meaning inherent here (i.e., just because you don't agree with something doesn't necessarily mean that you disagree with it), but it's the best i can do without writing 2 or more sentences, and/or embedding the idea in context in some other way (which would also require additional clauses/sentences/ideas).

--

#2 is also wrong, because it has the same problem ("each of whom" refers technically only to the father). you have to have "my mother and father" (or some other grouping construction, such as "my parents") to use "each" as an appositive modifier.