Can “how” be described as a conjunction?

Question

I know there is a lot of talk of differing grammars on this site but I was wondering if someone could help me out. I’ve been looking at Relative adverbs specifically, and came across “how”. I’m quite confused on the role it plays in sentences, some more than others. For example, “She was unsure how it happened.” By traditional grammar’s views, would “how” be described as both a subordinating conjunctions and an adverb? Does the same apply to “This is how to do it.”

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

anonymousShe was unsure how it happened.

'how it happened' is an embedded interrogative clause, i.e., an indirect question. The direct question form is How did it happen?

anonymousDoes the same apply to “This is how to do it.”

Tough question. Let's see what others say.

'how to do it' may turn out to be a fused relative construction.

CJ

BillJ · Answer

anonymous
I know there is a lot of talk of differing grammars on this site but I was wondering if someone could help me out. I’ve been looking at Relative adverbs specifically, and came across “how”. I’m quite confused on the role it plays in sentences, some more than others. For example, “She was unsure how it happened.” By traditional grammar’s views, would “how” be described as both a subordinating conjunctions and an adverb? Does the same apply to “This is how to do it.”

She was unsure how it happened.

"How" is an adverb here, but "how" doesn't occur as a relative word except marginally in the free choice 'fused' relative construction where you could replace "how" with "however" without distorting the meaning (cf You can do it how(ever) you like)

It does, though, occur freely in subordinate interrogatives clauses (embedded questions), which is what your example is. The meaning can be glossed as:

She was unsure of the answer to the question 'How did it happen?'"

Allexkramer432 · Answer

I hate coming across questions like these, because then they get me thinking, and then I have to go around searching and researching until I am happy with an answer. I think CJ is right. However, I think the answer to "This is how to do it" can be found by comparing it to other examples. For example:
"Now is the time to do it."
"This is the place to do it."
"This is the way to do it."
I could be wrong, but I think "to do it" is acting more like a modifier in all these scenarios to "how", so therefore, could we consider the "how" to definitively be a relative adverb/pronoun, maybe one of "fused" designation?
"This is what we do."
"This is how we do it."

However, your first example might be a little more than that. I've been studying relative items for a while now, and I have gone through a lot of theories. Stick with me, but I've been looking at relative adverbs and conjunctions mostly. A lot of people tend to call relative adverbs relative pronouns, but we will be specific for the purpose of this thread. Relative adverbs are most typically described as situations like "This is the place where we met." Obviously, this is a relative construction. However, then we also have situations like "I'm going to the store when it's time for dinner." People, in traditional terms, would call "when" a subordinating conjunction it this situation, not a relative adverb (correct me if I am wrong, CJ). However, I would call it both, because at the end of the day, it is still relative/dependent upon a part of the previous clause, the main clause.... In other words, the adverb "when" is applicable to both "I'm going to the store" and "it's time for dinner."

So, if you are studying traditional grammar, which I think you are, I wouldn't be completely opposed to you calling "how" a conjunction of some kind. But, again, I could be wrong.

Can “how” be described as a conjunction?

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