This means 'leaving something aside' or 'not counting something'. You use it to say something is an exception.
Noun + は別としてPrimary
Clause + かどうか + は別として
This means 'leaving something aside' or 'not counting something'. You use it to say something is an exception.
この製品は、デザインは別として、機能性はとても優れている。
This product, aside from its design, has excellent functionality.
冗談は別として、上司にそんな失礼なことは言えません。
Joking aside, you can't say such rude things to your boss.
優勝者は別として、他の選手たちは結果にがっかりしていた。
Apart from the winner, the other athletes were disappointed with the results.
それが本当かどうかは別として、今は目の前の仕事に集中しよう。
Whether that's true or not aside, let's focus on the work in front of us now.
うちの家族は、弟は別として、みんな泳げないんだ。
My family, except for my little brother, all can't swim.
This phrase helps you set something apart. It is like saying, 'Let's put this one thing aside.' Then you talk about everything else. Or you can say, 'Let's not think about this one thing.' Then you talk about other parts of it.
This is like '〜はさておき' and '〜はともかく'. But '〜は別として' shows a bigger difference. It means something is a special case. It is not part of the main idea. The other two just put a topic aside for a moment. You might talk about it later. But '〜は別として' takes it out completely.
Use this when you want to say something is an exception. You can put that thing aside. Then you can talk about your main idea. This makes your main idea sound stronger.
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