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In the NoCo

How a CSU professor uses Taylor Swift’s lyrics to teach the art of translating English into Spanish

Taylor Swift, a blonde woman wearing an orange and red sparkly leotard and holding a sparkly blue microphone, performs at the Paris Le Defense Arena during her Eras Tour concert in Paris, on May 9, 2024.
AP Photo/Lewis Joly, File
FILE - Taylor Swift performs at the Paris Le Defense Arena during her Eras Tour concert in Paris, on May 9, 2024.

Taylor Swift seems to be everywhere these days. Her new album drops Friday. Her engagement to NFL star Travis Kelce is all over the news. And if that weren’t enough, she helps teach students at Colorado State University. Sort of.

Spanish for Swiftie Purposes is a course available to students at CSU. It’s been offered once, and the curriculum asks students to hone their skills at translating English into Spanish. They also analyze other people’s translations like a Spanish-language version of Taylor’s song “Fortnight,” performed by the duo Kevin and Karla.

In The NoCo’s Erin O’Toole spoke with the professor who created the course, Alyssia Miller de Rutte. Alyssia says she hopes to teach the class again this spring.

A screenshot of the course offering from Colorado State University describes the goals and credits for the "Spanish for Swiftie Purposes" class.

KUNC's In The NoCo is a daily slice of stories, news, people and issues. It's a window to the communities along the Colorado Rocky Mountains. The show brings context and insight to the stories of the day, often elevating unheard voices in the process. And because life in Northern Colorado is a balance of work and play, we celebrate the lighter side of things here, too.
Brad Turner is an executive producer in KUNC's newsroom. He manages the podcast team that makes In The NoCo, which also airs weekdays in Morning Edition and All Things Considered. His work as a podcaster and journalist has appeared on NPR's Weekend Edition, NPR Music, the PBS Newshour, Colorado Public Radio, MTV Online, the Denver Post, Boulder's Daily Camera, and the Longmont Times-Call.
As the host of KUNC’s news program and podcast In The NoCo, I work closely with our producers and reporters to bring context and diverse perspectives to the important issues of the day. Northern Colorado is such a diverse and growing region, brimming with history, culture, music, education, civic engagement, and amazing outdoor recreation. I love finding the stories and voices that reflect what makes NoCo such an extraordinary place to live.