Echolalia: heterogeneous manifestations

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to discuss echolalia. Definitions, descriptions and classifications, found in the literature, are discussed. It can be noticed that while some earlier investigators have aimed at distinguishing between normal and pathological repetitions by adding adjectives like involuntary, automatic, exact and literal to the term, others have tried to typify its heterogeneous manifestations in order to suggest a general classification which comprises three basic categories: immediate, delayed and mitigated. I claim that echolalia should be approached on the basis of the relationship concerning patient-other speeches. I assume as singular each echolalic manifestation, that is precisely why I avoid classifications and suspect of the application of the term echolalia to such a wide range of heterogeneous children’s symptomatic speech.