Synchronically, I’d argue that there’s
a register difference, as you suggest, between A and B and that “as”
and “like” are both subordinators. In C, “the way”
is the head noun modified by an asyndetic relative clause, that is, a clause
that doesn’t start with “that” or one of the wh-relative
words. Functionally, “the way” may be on its way to becoming
a subordinator in its own right, but I don’t think it’s shifted
that far yet.
Diachronically it gets interesting because
“like” comes from Old English “lic”, which meant “body”.
We derive both “like” and the suffix –ly from “lic.”
That is, a noun has gradually morphed into a /conjunction/preposition and into
a suffix. “The way” is acting as if it’s at the
beginning of such a change. That suggests that at some time, and, perhaps,
for some speakers already, “the way” has ceased to be an ordinary
noun phrase.
Herb
Fellow Grammarians,
Let me ask about a related subject. Look at the following constructions. I
consider them to be paraphrases of each other. Granted, the first is probably
more acceptable in academic English, the second is more conversational (some of
you may remember the Winston cigarette commercial: "Winston tastes good
like a cigarette should. It may be bad grammar, but it's great taste.").
The third, I'm not sure about.
I see the first as using "as" as a subordinator. In the second, I see
"like" also as a subordinator. What I am not sure about is the third
one. Is "the way" acting as a subordinator? They all seem to have the
same structure, but do they?
A. He thinks as I do.
B. He thinks like I do.
C. He thinks the way I do.