複数の部材の高さ

内側部および外側部は、中央部よりも低い高さを有する。

ChatGPT:

以下は「内側部および外側部は、中央部よりも低い高さを有する」の自然で技術文書・特許文書向けの英訳です：

---

"The inner portion and the outer portion have a height lower than that of the central portion."

---

別案：

1. "The inner and outer portions are lower in height than the central portion."
    – やや平易で読みやすい構文。

2. "The inner portion and the outer portion are lower than the central portion in height."
    – 同様に自然で明確。

---

用語対応：

日本語	英語
内側部	inner portion / inner part
外側部	outer portion / outer part
中央部	central portion / center portion
高さを有する	have a height of / have a height (lower than ...)
低い高さ	lower height / height lower than ...

 

あなた:

Why "a height" and not "heights" even though the subject of the sentence consists of two portions?

ChatGPT:

Excellent question! Let's unpack it carefully.

---

🔍 The sentence in question:

"The inner portion and the outer portion have a height lower than that of the central portion."

You're asking:
Why "a height" (singular) and not "heights" (plural), given that there are two portions?

---

✅ Short Answer:

Using "a height" here is grammatically correct and stylistically acceptable because both portions share the same height. The singular "a height" refers to a common height that applies to both.

If the two portions were expected to have different heights, you would indeed say:

"The inner and outer portions have heights lower than that of the central portion."

---

📘 Explanation:

1. Shared attribute ⇒ singular noun

In English, when multiple subjects share the same attribute, we often use the singular form:

• "Tom and Jerry share a birthday." ✅ (one shared birthday)

• "The front wheels have a diameter of 18 inches." ✅ (same diameter)

• "The inner and outer portions have a height..." ✅ (same height)

2. Different attributes ⇒ plural noun

If each subject has its own individual value:

• "Tom and Jerry have different birthdays." → "birthdays" is plural

• "The wheels have different diameters."

So:

• "a height" → implies one common height

• "heights" → implies two separate heights

---

🟰 Alternate formulations:

• If the heights are equal and that’s implied:
  ✅ "The inner and outer portions have a height lower than that of the central portion."

• If the heights are different but both are lower:
  ✅ "The inner and outer portions have heights lower than that of the central portion."

Both are grammatically valid — the choice depends on what the technical reality is.

---

✅ Conclusion:

You use "a height" when you're referring to a single, shared height for both portions. If the design has them at distinct heights, then "heights" would be appropriate.