How does 'both' function in the example below? Is the determiner modifying the entire noun phrase 'Jack and Jane'? I know this is correct English; however, in most examples, determiners only modify a single noun.
Both Jack and Jane got on the bus.
I think it's worth highlighting the difference between 'both' and 'the'. You could rewrite 'the fathers and mothers' as 'the fathers and the mothers', but you can't write 'both Jack and both Jane'. In my example, the 'both' only makes sense when it is used once.