We analyzed response time and imitated speech in healthy young children according to changes in the speed of stimulation speech by adults, and evaluated speech characteristics in speech interactions in young children. The subjects were 90 healthy nursery school children (30 aged 3 years, 30 aged 4 years, and 30 aged 5 years) . The findings revealed that response time and imitated speech are influenced by stimulation speech speed. Response time differed among the age groups: 3-year-old group=

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... ear-old group<5-year-old group. When a stimulus became too slow , influences on the imitated speech decreased. The study demonstrated that young children may acquire speech timing and speech characteristics under the influence of the speech speed of other speakers in their speech interactions.