You don't say

Factual Questions
1

In this thread in CSthe question came up about who used “You don’t say” as a comedy line. It seems to go far back into radio comedy and vaudeville. It’s comic value comes from sarcasm, usually with an exagerrated pronunciation.

When did this line emerge as an idiom in English? Was there a piece of literature it was associated with? Did it have any comic connotations early on?

2

I seem to recall hearing that a lot of Yiddish style mannerisms made their way into English through Vaudville. Things like American style sarcasm. This sounds like one of those to me.

3

Here’s one cite from 1705 to get the bidding started.