Interjections and delayed echolalia

by Ann Perrone
(Drexel Hill )

My husband has a habit of interjecting phrases from TV, movies, music and popular culture when triggered by a key or familiar word. It's not at the level of pathology but he can't seem to desist even when family members get annoyed.

Example: Person 1: "I found two identical products for different prices."
Husband : makes a hand gesture from the movie 'My Cousin Vinny' and says "I-DENTICAL!"

Person 2: "That's a ridiculous commercial"
Husband : "The salad is ridiculous!" quoting a remark made 10 years ago at a dinner party that pissed someone off

Person 3:"I'll clean it up with some Formula 409" (a popular cleaner)

Husband :" She's so fine in my four-oh-nine" referring to a Beach Boys song of our childhood

Many times the trigger/response is so predictable that I end up saying "I KNEW you were going to say that!" however he'll respond with "Aw, c'mon, no you didn't!"

I've looked online for different forms of speech or language syndromes but nothing quite matches this behavior. Are there any studies of this phenomenon? Does it have a name?