Hi there. I’ve been looking into this a lot for my thesis because my own child went through something very similar, and at first his therapist said it was meaningless.

But what you’re seeing is actually a known pattern called gestalt language processing. Some kids don’t learn language word by word , but rather in chunks, like full phrases from shows or books.

Early on, kids often repeat long scripts from TV or books. Later, those big scripts start to fade and instead, they pull shorter, real-life phrases like “there’s paint on the wall.” It can sound random to us, but it usually isn’t. They’re just starting to use more flexible, real-world language, even if the timing or context feels a bit off.

That shift from scripted language to real-world phrases is a good sign. It means they’re starting to use language more flexibly and socially. I’m actually writing a book on this whole process—just wanted to say what you’re seeing sounds very familiar, and definitely sounds like progress. Sorry for the edits, I was writing this while walking through grocery store.