Fluent foreigners spread the word on dialects

Tobias Le Compte, a 35-year-old Belgian musician widely known as Tobias or Gao Yue, has become a sensation on social media for his excellent grasp of the main Shanghai dialect.

A multi-instrumentalist and the chief operating officer of Montreux Jazz Festival China, Le Compte has been sharing his everyday experiences, which he delivers in Shanghai dialect, on video-sharing and lifestyle platforms Douyin and Xiaohongshu, garnering thousands of followers and millions of likes.

In the videos, he speaks fluent Shanghai dialect, which many non-locals believe is as difficult to learn and understand as a foreign language. He talks about walking on the city's streets, enjoying the food and music, and recording his daily life in the city.

"I started shooting and posting these short videos for my own practice purposes. I didn't expect so many people would be watching them, following me and sending me comments and encouragement," said Le Compte.

"For me, the tone of the Shanghai dialect sounds like music with fascinating waves," said the musician who enjoys learning languages and dialects. "I believe a dialect is the heart of a local culture."

In 2008, Le Compte, who is a percussionist, guitarist, bassist and piano player, visited Shanghai for the first time as a member of a music and dance group that participated in an arts festival in Baoshan district. He was enchanted by the city right away, and returned the next year and enrolled as an undergraduate student at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music.

Like most expats in China, Le Compte first studied Mandarin and spent about half a year teaching himself the language.

"At first, I had little contact with the Shanghai dialect. People around me in the city could all speak Mandarin and it was enough for daily life and communication, so I didn't feel it was necessary to learn the dialect," said Le Compte.

It was not until 2021, when Le Compte was back in Belgium and confined to his home due to the COVID-19 pandemic, that he started learning Shanghainese.

"When I was back in Belgium, I realized that many of my Chinese friends were from Shanghai and they had been talking in the Shanghai dialect. I have always loved studying languages and dialects, so I chose to learn some Shanghai dialect to fill the boring days at home during the pandemic," Le Compte said.

He was also motivated by the 2021 hit movie B for Busy, a tale set in Shanghai starring local stars who speak their lines in the city's dialect.

"I was not thinking too much when I started learning the Shanghai dialect — it was just for fun. I turned to my friends to speak and learn the dialect. I also watched TV series and movies in the Shanghai dialect, as well as Shanghai farces," he said.

Listed as a national intangible cultural heritage in 2011, Shanghai farce, or huajixi, is a traditional opera and type of comedic performance that originated in the city in the early 20th century.

Le Compte said when he uploaded the short Shanghainese videos it was simply to practice the dialect and he didn't think much about it. "Gradually, and unexpectedly, many people saw my posts and sent me positive and encouraging comments, which made me dive deeper into the dialect and local culture," Le Compte said.

He settled back in Shanghai in January. Much to his surprise, when he arrived at the airport he was recognized by many people as "the foreigner who can speak fluent Shanghai dialect".

"Since then, I have been frequently recognized on the city's streets. People keep telling me 'thank you for promoting our Shanghai dialect' and 'we support you', which makes me feel that I am doing something very meaningful. I feel a greater sense of responsibility," he added.