5.1 Concomitant

When and Where did I find the word: I found this word in our course text (Kamil, Mosenthal, Pearson & Barr, 2000) Chapter 19 on page 286. The authors state: "Finally we reflect on the diversification of society and the concomitant changes that this brings to text-based learning."

Full Citation: Kamil, M. L., Mosenthal, P. B., Pearson, P. D., & Barr, R. (Eds.).  (2000). Handbook of reading research:  Volume III.  Mahwah, NJ:
                        
                         Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

What is means: Wow! What a heavy duty sentence, and I think what makes it so difficult for me is the word "concomitant."  I honestly had to read it over a couple of times until I finally got a general idea of what it meant.  However, I was still stuck.  According to dictionary.com concomitant means "existing or occurring with something else, often in a lesser way; accompanying; concurrent." It is also defined as "a concomitant quality, circumstance, or thing."  Based on this definition, I now understand the sentence.  I am always amazed at the power of a word and how one word can completely throw of one's understanding of a sentence or text. 

Level of Familiarity: Before looking up the definition, I had zero knowledge of the word. 


Do I Want to Know This Word Well and Why? I wanted and needed to know the word concomitant.  Without knowledge of this word, I would have been stuck and unable to read on if I did not understand the sentence. 


Do I Think Others Should Know This Word Well...if so WHO and WHY?:  I think that anyone who is reading the Handbook should have knowledge of this word.  Like, I said before, if I didn't know the word I would have been stuck and unable to read on.  The word is a good word to know, especially if one is reading the Handbook.  I think it is a word that one would see a lot in research.