(Ugh, way too many things I need to update now)
Echolalia occurs due to lack of hemispherical dominance in autistic brains. Individuals are aware of both the dorsal and ventral interpretation of the sound and bounce them back in an attempt to reconcile/integrate the “sound” (phonological) and “context” (lexical/semantic) of words/phrases. Autistic brains are able to perceive the sound of speech independently of it’s context.
Ventral and dorsal pathways for language
Ventral and dorsal streams in the evolution of speech and language
Motor system evolution and the emergence of high cognitive functions Ventral and dorsal pathways of speech perception: An intracerebral ERP study