There are three possible explanations for the 'dick' part of spotted dick. One is that it is a shortened form of pudding (essentially the last syllable, softened from ding to dich/k), another is that 'dick' is a corruption of dough (like duff) and another is that it comes from the german word for thick.
You might find this amusing, from The Straight Dope:
Quote:
The word "dick" has appeared in any number of strange places. Around the 1840s, "dick" was used to mean a type of hard cheese; when treacle sauce was added, it became "treacle dick", and finally when currants or raisins were added (looking like little spots), the "spotted dick" was born.
|
Mmmmm....dick cheese.
'