  echolalia (ekʹōlāʹlēə), n., 1. Psychiatry. the uncontrollable and immediate repetition of words spoken by another person. 2. The imitation by a baby of the vocal sounds produced by others, occurring as a natural phase of development. The echolalia that characterized her speech made our conversation appear rather one-sided; for as soon as I spoke, she would repeat my words in a low, chuckling voice. Having an infant in the house has made me all the more aware of the echolalia that members of a family promote in each other. (definition is from The Random House College Dictionary, Revised Ed., 1975) 
