How

Question

Is the underlined 'how' in the following sentence a noun, not a conjunction?
If so, is such an usage of 'how' right and commonly acceptable?

It's a way to give you a good example of just how even in this murk that you can begin to evaluate the tricky circumstances.

Mister Micawber · Accepted Answer

The sentence has a problem: 'that' is not possible. It should read:

...a good example of just how even in this murk you can begin to evaluate the tricky circumstances.

It seems like a conjunction to me:

...a good example of just how [even in this murk] you can begin to evaluate the tricky circumstances.

From a dictionary:

conjunction
15. Informal. that: He told us how he was honest and could be trusted.

CalifJim · Answer

lucas21cIt's a way to give you a good example of just how even in this murk that you can begin to evaluate the tricky circumstances.

Reduced to basics:

It gives an example of how you can evaluate the circumstances.

No matter what it is, "how" is definitely not a noun here. "how" is usually an interrogative adverb of manner. As such it may occur in a direct question (How did he know about that?) or in an indirect question (I wonder how he knew about it.) It can also be a conjunction somewhat similar in meaning to "that" (She told us how she had to work hard).

There are some cases which are ambiguous. They can be interpreted in either way. An example is She explained how she came to live here, which may indicate that she explained the series of events by which she came to live here (answering the question How did she come to live here?), but which may also indicate merely that she explained that she came to live here.

I think your quoted example is of the ambiguous type.
... an example of the manner in which you can evaluate the circumstances. (interrogative adverb)
... an example of the fact that you can evaluate the circumstances. (conjunction)

CJ

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