I had wondered for a while if the Zee’s of 1850 in Twisk were speaking Dutch, or Westfries.
This make it clear. The farmers spoke Westfries – the dialect of Westfriesland, and Twisk lay in the heart of it. In this little story, Maarten Zijp is being lauded for his love of Twisk! When he heard some people talking about the best land and the best cows, he immediately laughs and tells them to stop. If you want the best he says, come to Twisk – there is no better land you will find.
In Dutch, you might say “daar zijn de beste koeien”, but in Westfries it’s “deer benne de beste koeien”. Even for Dutchies today, it’s a hard dialect – language even – to understand. Piet Zee, once a butcher in Twisk, was well known in the area as a comedian who spoke the language perfectly. Here’s one of his shows.
