echopraxia

Term: echopraxia (echomotism)

Literally meaning: "sound action”

Origin: Anc Greek

ηχώ/echo(=echo) > ηχή/eche(=sound) >ακοή/achoe(=hearing)

πράξις/praxis(=action)

Coined/History

Echopraxia is is closely related to echolalia  the involuntary repetition of another's speech. Both echopraxia and echolalia are caused by brain  dysfunction. The word “echo” is a compining form of both terms  because echo (ηχώ) is defined also as  the repetition of a sound by reflection of sound waves from a surface  

   In Greek mythology Echo (Hχώ) was a nymph of Mountain, daughter of Air and Earth. Due to her talkativeness, Echo was given the task to distract Zeus wife Hera so that Zeus could freely enjoy his love affairs with the other Nymphs. Until one day, Hera discovered Echo’s deceit and she cursed her with the voice of the echo “to only repeat the last words”. Echo she felt in love with Narcissus, a very handsome young man who rejected her love. The grief killed Echo and her body became one with the mountain stone. All that remained was her voice which replied in kind when others spoke.

Definition

The abnormal involuntary imitation of the movements of another person Echopraxia is a feature of schizophrenia, Tourette syndrome, autism, Ganser syndrome and some other neurologic diseases