What does the otherwise mean in this sentence?

[compiler]

What does the otherwise mean in the following sentence?

The alien should be documented as E-1 if he or she is otherwise qualified. Can you give a few more examples as otherwise used in this way? Thanks.

 

[MikeNewYork]

It means if he/she has met all of the other qualifications.

See some definitions and examples here.

 

[probus]

This is legal or bureaucratic jargon. It means "in another way" or "in other ways". A person is "otherwise qualified" if he or she meets all of the other qualification requirements, apart from the point in question, which we can assume from the context has been adequately disposed of. An easier way to say it, in my opinion, is "not otherwise disqualified."

 

[compiler]

It’s still very difficult to understand and use otherwise as in another way, differently in a sentence. What does in another way, differently mean? Can anyone further explain otherwise used as in another way, differently by examples?

 

[Raymott]

If an alien has a university degree, he or she should be documented as A1.
If an alien has other lesser tertiary qualifications, he or she should be documented as B1.
...
The alien should be documented as E-1 if he or she is otherwise qualified. (Qualified in a different way from those already mentioned.)
This sentence can't appear without any preceding context.

 

[Matthew Wai]

Can anyone further explain otherwise used as in another way, differently by examples?

"He thinks that the situation is under control, but a lot of people think otherwise."
A lot of people think differently from he does.

Not a teacher.

 

[probus]

What does the otherwise mean in the following sentence?

The alien should be documented as E-1 if he or she is otherwise qualified. Can you give a few more examples as otherwise used in this way? Thanks.

I won't bother myself to look up the law, but here is a plausible example.

The alien should be documented as E-1 if

1) he or she has been admitted to a prescribed institute of higher education in the USA;

2) he or she has demonstrated a financial capacity to support him or herself while in the USA;and

3) he or she is not otherwise disqualified.

 

[compiler]

When you add but, it is easy to understand it because but means in another way, differently. However, sometimes there is no but before the otherwise. Can your example be written as He thinks that the situation is under control. A lot of people think otherwise. Is it correct? Another example from the online dictionary is She thought otherwise. Does it mean she thought differently?

 

[compiler]

"He thinks that the situation is under control, but a lot of people think otherwise."
A lot of people think differently from he does.

Not a teacher.

When you add but, it is easy to understand it because but means in another way, differently. However, sometimes there is no but before the otherwise. Can your example be written as He thinks that the situation is under control. A lot of people think otherwise. Is it correct? Another example from the online dictionary is She thought otherwise. Does it mean she thought differently?

 

[Barb_D]

I'm afraid the example "A lot of other people think otherwise" is not the same use you describe in your first post.

The alien should be documented as E-1 if he or she is otherwise qualified
The alien should be documented as E-1 if he or she is in all other ways qualified

Unless there is something else that disqualifies this alien, document this alient as E-1.

Let's say there is a list of requirements someone must meet to be eligible for a program.
They must have A, B, C, D, and E.

Someone asks if they can be accepted even though they don't have requirement E. Someone else recommends this, saying he would be very good in the program. You agree to waive requirement E if the person is otherwise qualified - if they meet A, B, C, and D.

However, if A or B or C or D is not met, then he is not "otherwise" qualified so he is not accepted into the program.

 

[Matthew Wai]

"The alien does not meet a certain qualification requirement, but s/he should be documented as E-1 if s/he meets all of the other qualification requirements."
Is it correct?

My post#6 is relevant to the OP's post#4 but irrelevant to post#1.
Not a teacher.

 

[Raymott]

"The alien does not meet a certain qualification requirement, but s/he should be documented as E-1 if s/he meets all of the other qualification requirements."
Is it correct?

It could mean that; it could mean what I said. We just don't have the necessary context to tell.
Being "otherwise qualified" can mean being qualified in a way which hasn't been mentioned yet, ie. having nothing to do with requirements already mentioned. We don't know what has already been mentioned unless the OP wants to tell us, if it's available.

 

[compiler]

I'm afraid the example "A lot of other people think otherwise" is not the same use you describe in your first post.

The alien should be documented as E-1 if he or she is otherwise qualified
The alien should be documented as E-1 if he or she is in all other ways qualified

Unless there is something else that disqualifies this alien, document this alient as E-1.

Let's say there is a list of requirements someone must meet to be eligible for a program.
They must have A, B, C, D, and E.

Someone asks if they can be accepted even though they don't have requirement E. Someone else recommends this, saying he would be very good in the program. You agree to waive requirement E if the person is otherwise qualified - if they meet A, B, C, and D.

However, if A or B or C or D is not met, then he is not "otherwise" qualified so he is not accepted into the program.

Do you mean the otherwise (used as in another way,differently) must be used with the if unless there is some condition beforeit? If so, how do you explain the online dictionary example she thought otherwise?

 

[compiler]

It could mean that; it could mean what I said. We just don't have the necessary context to tell.
Being "otherwise qualified" can mean being qualified in a way which hasn't been mentioned yet, ie. having nothing to do with requirements already mentioned. We don't know what has already been mentioned unless the OP wants to tell us, if it's available.

I think this answer makes sense. Otherwise (in another way, differently) used as in a way which hasn't been mentioned yet or in different way besides of the fact already mentioned.

 

[Barb_D]

Do you mean the otherwise (used as in another way,differently) must be used with the if unless there is some condition beforeit? If so, how do you explain the online dictionary example she thought otherwise?

In the original sentence, I do not believe "otherwise" meant "different" but rather meant "in (all) other respects."

Context would make it clear.

 

[compiler]

In the original sentence, I do not believe "otherwise" meant "different" but rather meant "in (all) other respects."

Context would make it clear.

I agree “in (all) other respects”. However, you mentioned context. Sometimes there is no context but otherwise is just directly used in one sentence like online dictionary example she thought otherwise. I know it means she thought differently. In other respects itself is not easy to understand. Therefore, otherwise used as in other respects is not easy to understand but we can frequently see it in the legal documents.

By the way, why do you use would to say Context would make it clear instead of Context makes it clear?

 

[Barb_D]

No, in "she thought otherwise" I would assume it meant "she thought differently."

If it were available, context would make it clear.

 

[Matthew Wai]

Sometimes there is no context but otherwise is just directly used in one sentence like online dictionary example she thought otherwise.

Is it possible that context is omitted? In my post#6, the second clause except "but" was quoted from my dictionary but the first as the context was added by me, is it correct?

 

[Raymott]

Do you mean the otherwise (used as in another way,differently) must be used with the if unless there is some condition beforeit? If so, how do you explain the online dictionary example she thought otherwise?

Dictionaries don't give a full context. You can't just start a conversation with "She thought otherwise".