“Ah … so”, as we know, is a phrase attributed to wizened Asian gentlemen with stringy beards. They pick up some new tidbit of information, then nod their heads and say thoughtfully, “Ah … so.”
Surely there is a book or movie etc. that is the source of this pop-culture cliche? I think “Ah … so” dates well back into the thirties at least.
(I can see this gag coming 1000 miles away so I’ll deal with it now: No, I’m not calling you an Ah-so. I’m not calling anyone an Ah-so. No-one’s an Ah-so.)
PS I have known plenty of Asians in my day and not surprisingly, not one of them has ever said “Ah … so”.