Fluent foreigners spread the word on dialects

'Brave' mistakes

Le Compte did not bury his nose in textbooks or undertake intensive study to learn Shanghainese. He said his learning methods involved getting immersed in a language environment, having a positive attitude, and speaking bravely "without being afraid to make mistakes".

"Some people may worry too much about being looked down upon for their accent or using the wrong words, which I think is not the right approach. Although non-native speakers can't grasp a language 100 percent, the more words you say, the more accurately you will end up saying them," Le Compte said.

However, he is worried that the dialect seems to be disappearing from common use.

"It's such a pity to know that many residents in Shanghai can't speak the dialect. There are many traditional customs and local cultures that are hard to describe precisely in Mandarin. Some of them can only be expressed and understood in the dialect, such as nursery rhymes and slang," said Le Compte.

Shanghai residents tend to be more welcoming to those who speak the dialect, he added. "I used to live in a shikumen (lane house) in Shanghai, where I got quite immersed in the city's authentic local life," he said.

Le Compte has also posted videos of himself speaking the dialect with Shanghai natives who live overseas.

"We share their stories and their life in another country, it's especially relevant to Shanghai people who have not been to these nations," Le Compte said.

Many Shanghai people living overseas speak better Shanghainese than the locals, especially the younger generations, he added.

Le Compte said he did not expect he would contribute to the promotion of the Shanghai dialect, but he hoped more people would end up speaking it. It would be an honor and pleasure if his posts encouraged his followers to learn and pass on the dialect, he said.

Le Compte, who rates his dialect skills 70 out of 100, said he hopes to one day be able to understand subtle variations in the dialect and also be capable enough to write a Shanghai farce.