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Glossary entry

English term or phrase:

well-put-together

English answer:

well-constituted

Added to glossary by mediamatrix (X)
Oct 18, 2008 10:49
15 yrs ago
20 viewers *
English term

well-put-together

English Social Sciences Psychology textbook
The psychopathology continuum extends from the most impaired patients to the most intact and well-put-together individuals

What does it mean? Is this term colloquial or formal? Shouldn't it be in inverted commas?
Responses
3 +5 well-constituted
4 +2 comment
5 "apparently healthy" individuals...it should be in quotes
3 perfectly healthy
Change log

Oct 23, 2008 01:28: mediamatrix (X) Created KOG entry

Responses

+5
42 mins
Selected

well-constituted

'well-put-together' suggests that the person is the product of favourable influences/circumstances, leading to a well-constituted, balanced, secure personality.

'most intact' reinforces the idea that the person's current state is favourable, by suggesting that their 'robust' (to borrow Max's term) personality/potential has not suffered over the years.

So, to try to answer Allda's question under Max's answer, the text is reinforcing the evaluation of the person's current situation by looking at it from two angles: were the conditions right for good development? (yes...), and has the person's potential been impaired? (no...), and this combination is globally very favourable.

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Note added at 44 mins (2008-10-18 11:33:31 GMT)
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There's no need to put well-put-together in quotes - it's become so common in English that most native readers recognise the phrase.
Peer comment(s):
agree Ken Cox : it's not the same as intact, especially in the psychological/psychiatric context. Intact means 'whole' or 'still whole', while well put together means, as you say, well-constituted or well-made.
2 hrs
agree Demi Ebrite : 'intact' in terms of psychopathology means lucid, not acting-out. Though it is not a medical glossary term, it is used to chart behavioral observations. Those suffering from some disorders can dissolve from 'intact' to 'delusional' quickly.
3 hrs
agree Gary D : Someone who has all their marbles, the strongest all together minds and bodies. No sign of mental instability. I would leave the sentence as it is as it reads ok to these native ears.
11 hrs
agree Ramesh Bhatt
1 day 5 hrs
agree Els Spin : I'm with Gary.
2 days 8 hrs
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thanks for the explanation, mediamatrix Thanks for the comment, Ken."
4 mins

perfectly healthy

persons who do not suffer from anything, with robust health, who are "well composed"

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Note added at 10 mins (2008-10-18 10:59:46 GMT)
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It is used colloquial, with or without dashes, for things or persons that are created in a good way.

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Note added at 35 mins (2008-10-18 11:25:12 GMT)
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I also think there is a distinction between "intact" and "well-put-together".
Intact usually does not refer to living human beings. But it is possible to say: "the body was intact", when a dead person is concerned.
Perhaps it is a bit odd to talk about humans as being well put together, as if they were assembled in a factory. But is an expression that has become colloquial, and often refers to woman who are perfectly beautiful (and healthy).
Note from asker:
then I assume it means the same as "intact", and I thought there was some distinction between the two terms.
Something went wrong...
+2
3 hrs

comment

To answer your secondary question, there is no need to put the term in quotation marks, and doing so would change the meaning. It is common usage, and putting it in quotation marks would suggest that the persons are supposedly well-constituted but there is reason to doubt that this is true.
Peer comment(s):
agree Demi Ebrite
21 mins
agree Gary D : could change this from "the most intact and well-put-together individuals" to "the most intact, well-put-together individuals"
8 hrs
Something went wrong...
5 hrs

"apparently healthy" individuals...it should be in quotes

It is a thing of understanding and just rephrasing, I think the original os ok, just put it in quotes.
Peer comment(s):
neutral Ken Cox : Does this mean that you interpret the text to mean that even the most intact and well-constituted individuals suffer from at least a certain amount of psychological illness? (or to paraphrase, 'we're all crazy, it's only a question of how much')
3 hrs
thanks
neutral Gary D : You could just remove the "and" and put a comma in there instead, But I wouldn't use inverted commas. "the most intact, well-put-together individuals"
6 hrs
thanks
neutral Jennifer Levey : But it doesn't mean 'apparently healthy'! I'd disagree - but I know how susceptible you are when anyone disgrees with your grade-5 confidence attached to incorrect interpretations ... :) .
2 days 3 hrs
Media matrix, this is a contest for points, disagree is ok, neutral is ok but please don´t lecture in public.
Something went wrong...
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