[a fool in paradise]

“So” also establishes what came before as settled “fact” (”taking this for granted we will now consider...”).

In Japanese, I was taught that if you make a presumptive statement, you should end it with “isn’t that so?”.

[Paine in the Neck]

“So” also establishes what came before as settled “fact”

Actually, I hear it used most often as conversational lubrication from people who do not have the confidence to just say what they want to say. For example: "The weather is nice today" now becomes "Soooo, the weather is nice today". The people who use it seem uncomforatble that their assertion or conversational offering will be acceptable. It functions like a conversational tail between the legs as when a dog approaches a stranger and isn't sure if it will get patted or kicked.

[holden]

I very much appreciate your point and enjoy hearing how one might be more polite! My, don't we need more civility on this side of the Pacific?!

However, I do think you've happened upon another meaning of 'so', that being "the way things are".

I believe the the two uses are related in that my earlier "so" is a compact particle for "OK, things being as they may (from the previous discussion)" consider now what I'm about to say."

HF