This paper will discuss why active foreign language competence is an essential skill that universities must teach translation students to ensure that they can meet the market needs of today and tomorrow. Commencing with a discussion of the native speaker principle and the traditional arguments against translating into the non-native language, this paper will critically examine the native speaker principle, its assumptions and consequences before going on to explain why the academic ideal, propagated particularly at Anglophone universities, of the target language native-speaking translator often does not, for many reasons, fit with what clients really want and need. The paper will conclude by illustrating additional benefits of excellent foreign language competence, aside from the
question of translating into the non-native language, to ensure that graduates
are equipped to master the many additional skills they must acquire in order to be competitive in the market and to maximise their flexibility and adaptability in an ever-changing industry.
