question about echolalia

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hi I am 24 and have high functioning autism and I was wondering if I might have echolalia. I just heard about it actually but I don't know much about it. I repeat constantly things I hear on tv--commercials, lines on shows, theme songs. I'll do it just as it's about to happen on tv or just after it or even randomly some other time when the tv isn't even on. Basically I do it out of amusement I guess. I only do it when I'm alone and just I guess have fun with it lol. In the past I have used several lines other people have used. to this day I still used those lines. if I find something funny I'll repeat it later. Sometimes I repeat the last thing I said to get the point across I guess. I have songs constantly stuck in my head and if I hear a really annoying commercial song it's stuck in my head for days and I keep repeating it and hate it! I don't know if all this counts as echolalia or if I'm just really easily amused haha thing is I don't really think I did this when I was a kid, that's why I'm confused. But I've been doing it the past year or two maybe and well just learned a little about echolalia and I was wondering if there is actually a name to this hobby of mine Lol. Just curious thanks

I don't think you have echolalia. Echolalia isn't done for amusement; it is a verbal tic, so the words are repeated spontaneously. That means that the person with echolalia doesn't make a conscious decision to make the words come out. It just happens.

I have something similar to echolalia called palilalia, which is the repeating of one's own words instead of the words of another. I never made a conscious choice to repeat myself. Apparently I have been doing it all my life, but it wasn't until my mid to late teens that my family pointed it out to me. I spontaneously repeat entire sentences under my breath without even being aware of it. When I do catch myself doing it, it's extremely embarrassing.

This is in sharp contrast to the times when I like to quote my favorite movies, like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory for example. It's not a tic, because I make a conscious decision to imitate Willy Wonka. I do it for my own amusement.

I hope I was able to clear up your questions. I'm sorry if I came across as too curt or angry, but I really wasn't trying to be. I'm trying to be informative.

The repeating does not necessarily have to be involuntary. It needs to only be an irresistable urge. In fact, the condition is still echolalia even if the words or sounds are repeated long after they are heard... as I tend to do with phrases from TV.

Words and sentences tend to bounce around in my head all the time. Whether its something im thinking about or something someones said to me. And sometimes I just feel like I need to say something and I will repeat a word or phrase ive heard somewhere. Probably a little wierd to people

I currently have the phrase "Moments of shabbiness, indeed" stuck in my head, because I heard someone say it on television a couple of days ago.

I don't know why I remember it - it's not meaningful to me in any way.

Thanks everyone that's interesting. I wanted to ask on here with people who really have experienced it because I went online and got just like very general explanations. I guess I just like imitating things, I just wasn't sure if that was echolalia but I guess it isn't escpecially because like I said I only do it when I'm alone and I do watch a lot of tv and the same shows over and over Sometimes it's an urge to repeat it but I can really control it well and usually it's primarily funny things or things I get a kick out of. thank you everyone for responding.

Actually, echolalia can definitely be a voluntary choice. I've talked to quite a few parents whose autistic kids use echolalia to communicate when they're just learning how. They'll repeat words or phrases from their favorite shows, or from conversations they've heard, that relate to what they're trying to get across. So maybe you'll get a kid who's trying to tell Mom they've got a tummyache, quoting a line from a Thomas the Tank Engine episode where Thomas has to be repaired, or something. (I don't know if there's an episode like that; it's been a while since I watched it. Still, there could be.) I think I must probably have used it that way myself, because I remember repeating things people said to me and saying things that fit into conversations, though I was spontaneously making up my own sentences around the age of four. And yeah, it can be just for fun.

I don't know if you have echolalia but maybe my experience will help you to know.
I have echolalia and every sentence I say, I feel obliged to repeat a word or even the complete sentence. Sometimes, I repeat constantly the same thing over and over and I don't even bother to make sense (I learned not to do that in public). When I don't do that, I am more anxious so I think it is a mechanism that help to feel relaxed.

That's how my sibling learned to talk.

My head is constantly repeating things I've heard. When I talk sometimes I get stuck and say the same thing over and over. I enjoy saying what someone else said outloud sometimes, but usually only do that while on the computer. Otherwise I don't have echolalia.

My head is constantly repeating certain song lyrics, proverbs, commercials, etc..

What's weird, is when someone says something even slightly similiar to a song lyric, or anything mentioned above, it creeps into my head.

For instance, if someone says "Oh, wow!", suddenly I say "ShamWow!".

I also repeat certain words when people speak to me. Most especially when they ask me a question. I suspect it serves two purposes. First, to allow me time to completely process what was asked. Secondly, to give me a few seconds to respond.

Example:

Friend - "Do you want to go to the store with me?"
Me - "Go to the store with you?"
Friend - "Yes, the store."
Me - "Sure."

Does echolalia also mean to copy someones actions as well?

I know I will copy what someone says to act like I fit in; I also will copy there actions too. I know when I was a kid when I wanted to learn to play a video game I would watch what they did and copy them.
But mostly when someone says something funny or does something funny I will imitate what they said or did. And when I get around certain people I've met I will start to act like the person I've known the most.