Otherwise?! so confusing!

Question

Could you please analyse for me in the following 2 sentences the use of the word OTHERWISE?

They hoped to avoid the 'food versus fuel' debate by making fuel from biomass feedstocks with no nutritional value, such as agricultural waste or fast-growing trees and grasses grown on otherwise unproductive land.

There is no way anything would ever happen between us, and believe me I've tried to convince myself otherwise.

and two more questions!

We could get each to produce fuels at a lab scale and a demonstration scale.
what is a demonstration scale?
Half a dozen companies are now putting the final touches to industtial-scale plants.
put the final touch? what does it mean?

Enoon · Accepted Answer

fantiThey hoped to avoid the 'food versus fuel' debate by making fuel from biomass feedstocks with no nutritional value, such as agricultural waste or fast-growing trees and grasses grown on otherwise unproductive land.

"Otherwise" is an adverb modifying "unproductive".

fantiThere is no way anything would ever happen between us, and believe me I've tried to convince myself otherwise.

You're right. This use does not fit the usual dictionary definitions, but that is a failing of the dictionaries. It is plain English. It means in this case to convince oneself of some other conclusion.

fantiWe could get each to produce fuels at a lab scale and a demonstration scale.what is a demonstration scale?

There are three levels of production. You can make a small amount in the lab just to show it can be done (lab scale). You can make enough to do show that you can something useful with it (demonstration scale). You can make tons of it every day for mass distribution (industrial scale). You produce it on an industrial scale in the end.

fantiHalf a dozen companies are now putting the final touches to industtial-scale plants.put the final touch? what does it mean?

Not "final touch", "final touches", often "finishing touches". It is a figure of speech meaning the minor details that complete a project. I have always thought it referred to the last few brushstrokes an artist applies to an oil painting.

Fanti · Answer

enoon fantiThey hoped to avoid the 'food versus fuel' debate by making fuel from biomass feedstocks with no nutritional value, such as agricultural waste or fast-growing trees and grasses grown on otherwise unproductive land."Otherwise" is an adverb modifying "unproductive".fantiThere is no way anything would ever happen between us, and believe me I've tried to convince myself otherwise.You're right. This use does not fit the usual dictionary definitions, but that is a failing of the dictionaries. It is plain English. It means in this case to convince oneself of some other conclusion.fantiWe could get each to produce fuels at a lab scale and a demonstration scale.what is a demonstration scale?There are three levels of production. You can make a small amount in the lab just to show it can be done (lab scale). You can make enough to do show that you can something useful with it (demonstration scale). You can make tons of it every day for mass distribution (industrial scale). You produce it on an industrial scale in the end. fantiHalf a dozen companies are now putting the final touches to industtial-scale plants.put the final touch? what does it mean?Not "final touch", "final touches", often "finishing touches". It is a figure of speech meaning the minor details that complete a project. I have always thought it referred to the last few brushstrokes an artist applies to an oil painting.

thank you so much!
But one last question, what is the meaning of the word otherwise in the fist sentence? does it mean "in other words"?

Enoon · Answer

fantiBut one last question, what is the meaning of the word otherwise in the fist sentence? does it mean "in other words"?

No. It modifies "unproductive". The land is not productive in any other way. The word "otherwise" is a compound word using an old word spelled "wise", meaning "way". You still see this "wise" sometimes in deliberate archaisms like "in such wise" meaning "in the specified manner".

wise²noun (AHD)

Fanti · Answer

so i assume it suggests the land is only productive for converting those fast-growing trees and grasses into biofuel, otherwise the land is unproductive?

thank you, I really appreciate your patience.

Enoon · Answer

fantiSo, I assume it suggests the land is only productive for converting those fast-growing trees and grasses into biofuel, otherwise the land is unproductive?

It does not suggest it, it says it.

fantiThank you. I really appreciate your patience.

Not at all.

Otherwise?! so confusing!

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