echolalia - Types of Echolalia

The automatic repetition of the last words or phrases uttered by someone else. The effect is most commonly seen in dementia, but is also found in childhood psychiatric disorders and in schizophrenia.

Echolalia is the repetition or echoing of verbal utterances made by another person.

The word "Echolalia" is derived from the Greek "Echo", meaning "to repeat", and "lalia", meaning "a speaking," from lalein "to speak, prattle," of onomatopoeic origin.

Types of Echolalia

Immediate Echolalia

Immediate echolalia appears to tap into the person's short-term memory for auditory input.

Delayed Echolalia

Delayed echolalia has been defined as the "echoing of a phrase after some delay or lapse of time".

This condition appears to tap into long-term auditory memory, and for this reason, may be a different phenomenon from immediate echolalia. As it can involve the recitation of entire scripts, delayed echolalia is often mistaken as evidence for a near-genius intellect.