Throughout the 1960s, the language decline inspired many to form dialect preservation circles and groups, such as the Tweants "Kreenk vuur de Twentse Sproake" (Circle for the Twents language) or the Drèents "Huus van de Taol" (House of the Language). Many of them were mainly interested in preserving rather than promoting the language. The prevailing tone was one of melancholy and nostalgia. Their focus was often on preserving cultural traits considered typical to speakers of the language, such as rural life and traditional practices, crafts and costumes. That merely confirmed many of the existing stereotypes about speakers of the language.