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Echolalia is the repetition of vocalizations made by another person. A 1983 report indicated that up to 75% of verbal people with autism have some form of echolalia,[1] but it may also be present in Tourette syndrome, developmental disability, schizophrenia and, occasionally, other forms of psychopathology. When done involuntarily, it is considered a tic.
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.
Delayed echolalia has been defined as the "echoing of a phrase after some delay or lapse of time". Persons with autism who repeat TV commercials, favorite movie scripts, or parental reprimands are examples used in describing this phenomenon. It may or may not be communicative.
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 higher-than-average intellect.