ともあろうA surprising lapse by someone of such standing
This construction expresses disbelief, disappointment, or criticism when someone with a respected role or reputation behaves below the standard expected of them. A natural English equivalent is often “for someone of that standing to...”
The gap between standing and conduct
The point is not merely that the conduct was bad. The speaker first invokes a role, achievement, or reputation that carries a recognizable standard, then presents the conduct as astonishingly inconsistent with it. The expectation should be easy to understand: for example, careful handling of evidence by an ethics investigator or accurate checking by an experienced editor.
研究倫理委員ともあろう人が、調査記録を改ざんしていたとは驚きだ。
It is shocking that a member of a research ethics committee would have altered investigation records.
AnalyzeThe criticism comes from the clear conflict between responsibility for research ethics and altering records.
Choosing the following human noun
人 is relatively neutral. 方 preserves respect toward the person even while criticizing the lapse. 者 is formal and can give the criticism a sterner tone.
An indignant fragment
ベテランの校正者ともあろう方が、人名の表記を確認しなかったとは。
For an experienced copy editor not to have checked the spelling of a person's name...
AnalyzeThe unfinished ending conveys disbelief or disapproval without stating it explicitly.
Three nearby forms
たるもの states what people in a role ought to do in general; the target construction reacts to a particular failure. あるまじき directly describes an act or state as unworthy of the role, while the target foregrounds disbelief that a person of such standing acted that way. ともなると instead describes what naturally follows when someone reaches a particular status or stage; it does not itself criticize a lapse.
More examples
食品衛生責任者ともあろう者が、保管温度の記録を怠っていた。
A person responsible for food hygiene had neglected to record the storage temperature.
Analyze編集長ともあろう人が、裏付けを取らずに掲載を許可したのは軽率だ。
It was careless for an editor in chief to approve publication without verifying the story.
Analyze国際大会の審判ともあろう方が、映像を確認せずに判定を下したことで批判を受けた。
An official at an international competition was criticized for making a ruling without checking the video.
Analyze熟練の整備士ともあろう人が、作業前の工具点検を怠って事故を招いた。
An experienced mechanic neglected to inspect the tools before work and caused an accident.
Analyze長年その競技を指導してきたコーチともあろう人が、選手の体調不良を見過ごしていた。
A coach who had taught the sport for many years had overlooked a player's poor physical condition.
Analyze個人情報保護の責任者ともあろう方が、宛先を確認せずに資料を送信した。
A person responsible for protecting personal information sent the documents without checking the recipient.
Analyze