Query for Southern(er)s, Southrons, or...

[Laurence Horn]

At 3:26 PM -0500 12/19/01, Dennis R. Preston wrote:
>I'm mostly in agreement so far, but "managed to": does not for me
>imply intending or trying. Sentences like "Well, you managed to go
>get yourself in trouble again" imply that you have been inattentive,
>imprudent, etc...., but not that you set out to get yourself in
>trouble. Maybe originally ironic, but I doubt if that obtains now in
>this construction.
>
For me, the ironic sense is still palpable in those cases.  I could
live with "succeeded in Ving" rather than "managed to V" if the irony
hasn't frozen with the former for you.  For me, "He managed to get
the clap" and "He succeeded in getting the clap" are both pretty
ironic.

larry