In a message dated 27-10-02 6:57:40 AM Pacific Standard Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:

<< Around 1950, according to Lucas Ligtenberg, there were still people in
Saugerties  speaking Laag Diets also named Low Dutch or Laag Duits. This
language was  based on the original Dutch language spoken here in the 17th
and 18th century.
  Do you have any records relating to that subject?
  Regards,
  Max Vrugt, >>

Hello Max:
I have been trying to locate material on the subject and also have been
asking the locals about it. Joyce Fiero Tompkins has some anecdotal material.
There is some information in Alf Evers book on the Catskills and also chapter
XLV in Benjamin Myer Brinks book, titled Old Dutch Ballads, Rhymes and Folk
Songs is of interest.
I have other information from Countess von Krowkow who lived in Saugerties.
In 1903 she wrote an article titled "Some of Us Rustic Knickerbockers" in
which she said "in my young days Dutch composed the familiar language of the
older inhabitants of our village, [Saugerties] and the domestic tongue even
of their elder children. Our Dominie made use of Dutch in his pulpit until he
was forced by the protests of newcomers to alternate Dutch sermons with
English ones; a task that fell a good deal harder upon the learned, old
gentleman than preaching in Latin or Hebrew would have done. What I remember
is, that his contemporaries, among whom were my father's uncles, expressed
much wonder over the achievement; nor did they ever advance far enough in the
strange tongue, I think, to have their early admiration modified, by
detecting such oddities of speech as occurred in the Dominie's exhortation to
"tepart in pieces, go lang ty way."  According to von Krokow, there were
examples of what she called "Knickerbockerisms" in the village. For example
"they say, that they are not 'to home,' and they are 'sieck to the stomach,'
.. or who has not heard the sound of 'gee, laap and hau' coming into the
windows of West Shore railway trains as they pass that way in spring and
autumn, the Knickerblcker driving terms for 'start, run and stop?'
Hope this helps.
Best,
Karlyn Knaust Elia
Ulster County Historian
11 Main Street
Saugerties, NY  12477
845-246-4754