the way的用法及其含义
作者：刘永科（山东）
来源：山东师范大学外语学院《山东外语教学》（1984年第4期第82—84页）（本文有增删）
新课标人教版必修二第1单元Reading中，有这样一个句子：In 1770 the room was completed the way she wanted. 1770年，这间琥珀屋按照她的要求完成了。
the way在句中的语法作用是什么？其意义如何？在阅读时，学生经常会碰到一些含有the way的句子，如：No one knows the way he invented the machine. He did not do the experiment the way his teacher told him.等等。他们对the way 的用法和含义比较模糊。
在这几个句子中，the way之后的部分都是定语从句。第一句的意思是，“没人知道他是怎样发明这台机器的。”the way的意思相当于how；第二句的意思是，“他没有按照老师说的那样做实验。”the way 的意思相当于as。在In 1770 the room was completed the way she wanted.这句话中，the way也是as的含义。随着现代英语的发展，the way的用法已越来越普遍了。下面，我们从the way的语法作用和意义等方面做一考查和分析：
（一）the way作先行词，后接定语从句
以下3种表达都是正确的。例如：“我喜欢她笑的样子。”
1. the way+ in which +从句
I like the way in which she smiles.
2. the way+ that +从句
I like the way that she smiles.
3. the way + 从句(省略了in which或that)
I like the way she smiles.
又如：“火灾如何发生的，有好几种说法。”
1. There were several theories about the way in which the fire started.
2. There were several theories about the way that the fire started.
3. There were several theories about the way the fire started.
上述句子都正确，意思也完全相同。但是，the way之后用in which引导的定语从句最为正式；省略了that或in which是最自然、最常用的表达；然而，the way之后用that引导定语从句，最不常见。
注意，在先行词the way之后不用how。因为引导定语从句的关系词是that而不是how,因此，《现代英语惯用法词典》中所给出的下面两个句子是错误的：
This is the way how it happened.
This is the way how he always treats me.
（二）the way在句中的语法作用
the way在句中可以作主语、宾语或表语：
1.作主语
The way you are doing it is completely crazy.你这个干法简直发疯。
The way she puts on that accent really irritates me. 她故意操那种口音的样子实在令我恼火。
The way she behaved towards him was utterly ruthless. 她对待他真是无情至极。
Words are important, but the way a person stands, folds his or her arms or moves his or her hands can also give us information about his or her feelings. 言语固然重要,但人的站姿,抱臂的方式和手势也回告诉我们他(她)的情感。