178 



Etymology of the Berwick word "Dover." 



By Commander Norman, R.N., Berwick. 



Among words in our district whose etymology is uncertain, 

 such as Berwick and Lindisfarne, has hitherto been included 

 " Dover," the somewhat perplexing name of the only sauce 

 that is admissible with boiled salmon in the old Border town. 

 Members of our Club have had many an opportunity of 

 testing the same, and are well aware that it consists simply 

 of the water in which the fish has been boiled, but they 

 would not be understood if they asked for it outside Berwick 

 circles. 



Not being able to accept, among other theories, that one 

 advanced by a fellow-guest at a Sherififs "Kettle," that the 

 word is simply an abbreviation of " Do-over " ; and having 

 heard that there was a Celtic word with a somewhat similar 

 sound, I wrote to Pi-ofessor John Rhys, Professor of Celtic 

 in the University of Oxford, on the subject. His letter, as 

 follows, will be read with interest : — 



" It strikes me that you are quite likely to be correct in 

 your surmise as to the Celtic origin of the word dover at 

 Berwick. The Welsh word for ' water ' is colloquially dwr 

 (pronounced door, with oo as in 'cool' or 'food'); but in the 

 Celtic of the 6th or 7th century, to which one would have 

 probably to go back, it would have been more nearly dovr 

 or ddvor, perhaps more nearly ddvur, which comes apparently 

 quite near to your pronunciation of the word for salmon 

 water used as salmon sauce." 



