Repetition of words or phrases, usually with little or no comprehension, describes which phenomenon?

• A. Echolalia
• B. Perseveration
• C. Neologism
• D. Paraphrasia

Answer: (A)

Repetition of words or phrases, usually with little or no comprehension, describes echolalia. This occurs when a person echoes what they’ve heard—either immediately or after a delay—without understanding the meaning or using the words to convey their own message. It’s an automatic echo rather than a deliberate or meaningful response. This differs from perseveration, which is the persistent repetition of a thought or action beyond its relevance; neologism, the creation of new, invented words; and paraphrasia, where words are substituted or distorted due to language impairment rather than simply echoing what was heard.