What is wrong with imitating a person? There is a popular saying that talks about imitation; imitation is the father of invention. This implies that a person copies to learn before finding new ways to do better. In other words, copying is still quite fair.
However, a copycat is an insult. Unless you are an actual copycat, the word is not fair. Copycat is a word that refers to a person who shamelessly copies the works of others. Copycat goes beyond imitating a person to learn. It is similar to stealing another person’s work.
If this is you, you should stop. However, if you are called a copycat and it is untrue, you have two options to choose from. You either defend yourself or respond with an equal insult.
What To Say When Someone Calls You A Copycat
- Hello, Original
- How far have you gone as an original?
- Is it your business?
- Does it make you less good?
- My mental health begged me to stop
- Are you any better than me?
- I know.
- Copying you would be a mistake
- At least, I’m growing up.
- How special are you by yourself?
- I heard you. You can shut up now.
- How does that affect you?
- That’s not my name.
- Respect Yourself
- Let me be, please.
- You wish.
- Don’t think so highly of yourself
- You can’t be copied. Your stupidity is unique to you.
- You’re not better than me.
- I learn my own way. Focus on yourself.
Hello, Original
This is an option to ignore the person. To be honest, it is quite shameless to respond with an insult when you have acted like a true copycat.
If the accusation is untrue, however, you can respond with an insult. There is a chance that the accusation was only made to insult you or your style of doing something.
If you are not ready to get into an argument with the person, you can respond with this and wear a carefree look on your face. That way, you will be preventing the person from making fun of you.
Jenna: What’s up, Copycat?
Kathy: Hello, Original.
How far have you gone as an original?
This response is not the best, as it sounds like you are admitting to being a copycat. However, by saying this, you are pushing the fact aside and turning the insult around.
When you say this, it will sound stupid for the other person to keep calling you a copycat at that moment. Automatically, you will be challenging the person to show his/her achievements. This will probably stun the person.
However, if you believe the person has things to show, this response should be avoided so you don’t embarrass yourself further after seemingly admitting to being a copycat. Rather, you should prove your originality in a confident or carefree way.
Jenna: You are such a filthy copycat.
Kathy: Well, how far have you gone as an original?
Is it your business?
This is another response that seemingly admits that you are a copycat. It doesn’t insult the other person but you are remaining confident before the person.
If the accusation is new and untrue to you, stand your ground and challenge the person by asking this question confidently and stepping closer. The person will probably try to show that he/she is being copied by you.
That way, you can prove the person wrong. Before choosing to challenge him/her, you have to be ready for it so you don’t sound nervous and look like a liar.
Jenna: You are a copycat, Kathy.
Kathy: Is it your business?
Does it make you less good?
It is wrong to be a copycat but if it seems like you are, you don’t have to stay mute and get embarrassed in public.
When a person challenges you for copying another person, you can ask this question and ask why the person still considers you a threat.
If the person believes you are copying him/her, you can ask this question confidently. It is important to know that admitting this can be considered shameless so you should find ways to justify your action or work. That way, you don’t accept all the insults.
Jenna: You have always been a copycat.
Kathy: And does it make you less good?
My mental health begged me to stop
By saying this, you are directly admitting that you are a copycat but you claim it is in the past. You have to be able to prove that though.
Asides from admitting to being a copycat and staying confident, you are adding an insult to it. Some may consider this unnecessary but getting called out in public can be embarrassing.
You will be alright if you can prove that you have been able to improve on your own and the accusation is no longer valid.
Jenna: You have always been a copycat.
Kathy: I stopped copying you for the sake of my mental health.
Are you any better than me?
This is a cool response if you are accused of copying other people. This response can be considered shameless since you are indirectly admitting that you have been a copycat.
If you don’t want to take all the insults on your head, you have to be able to prove a bit of originality to every listener. By showing them how special your original work is, the insult is avoided. You can also explain that you are only learning by imitation.
Jenna: You are just a copycat. Nothing special about your work.
Kathy: Are you any better than me?
I know
You may just have to admit your fault and learn from them. There are cases when a person allows you to copy his/her work and yours is chosen ahead of the person’s work. The person will be hurt and might challenge you publicly.
There is no honor in it if you keep defending yourself so you can simply admit your wrongs and move on. To avoid the insult of the public, you can also prove what you have learned from imitating another person’s work.
Jenna: You are a liar and a copycat.
Kathy: I know, Jenna, but I only imitated to learn.
Copying you would be a mistake
This is an outright denial of the accusation. You can give this response if it is untrue. However, if it is true, it is quite unfair. You may even increase the embarrassment if the person can prove that you are a copycat and you are only lying.
After giving this response, you can prove your originality. This response insinuates that your original work is better than the other person’s work and you won’t ever try to copy the person.
Jenna: You are a copycat, Kathy.
Kathy: Copying you would be a mistake.
At least I’m growing up
These should not be the first words you give as your response. With this, you are admitting that you are a copycat but you are adding that you have learned something from copying others.
You have to first admit that you copy before saying this. However, after saying this, you should be able to prove how much you have been able to build your own originality.
It should be much better if you explain your process of learning from others instead of taking credit for the work of others.
That way, an accusation that was meant to embarrass you will become a way of proving your prowess to the world. You may even end up getting praised.
Jenna: You are a copycat.
Kathy: I know. At least I’m growing up.
How special are you by yourself?
This is a response that challenges the dexterity of a person’s originality. By saying this, you will be admitting that you have been a copycat and it is quite shameless.
This is not the best response to give in a public space. If you don’t want to take all the insults on your head, you have to be able to prove a bit of originality to every listener. By showing them how special your original work is, the insult is avoided. You can also explain that you are only learning by imitation.
If you can’t prove your originality, you will be considered shameless for boasting about being a copycat so this is not the best response to go for.
I heard you. You can shut up now
This is an option to ignore the person. it would be extremely shameless to respond with an insult if you have acted like a true copycat.
If the accusation is untrue, you can choose to respond with an insult. The charge is most likely made to insult you or your style of doing something and it will be nice to just ignore or prove yourself.
If you are not ready to get into an argument with the person, you can respond with this and wear a carefree look on your face. That way, you will be preventing the person from making fun of you.
Jenna: You are such a copycat.
Kathy: I heard you. You can shut up now.
How does that affect you?
If the accusation is new and untrue to you, stand your ground and challenge the person by asking this question confidently and stepping closer.
The person will probably try to show that you are copying him/her or someone else. That way, you can prove the person wrong. Before choosing to challenge the person, you have to be ready for it so you don’t sound nervous and look like a liar.
It is also much better if you can prove your originality.
Jenna: You are a copycat, Kathy.
Kathy: How does that affect you?
That’s not my name
A person can keep calling you a copycat. You can just tell him/her to stop. By challenging the person to stop calling you a copycat, you are ready to prove your originality to the person and to the world.
It is better to do this early so people don’t start believing you to be a copycat.
Jenna: Hello, Copycat.
Kathy: That’s not my name.
Respect yourself
This is another way of challenging the person. There is a high chance the person will try to prove you as a copycat so it is much better to be able to prove your originality before arguing.
If you have been copying, you should find another response.
Let me be, please
This is an option to ignore the person, especially if you think the person is being jealous. After saying this, keep your face confident and walk away.
You should also be able to prove your originality if you will be using this response. There is a high chance the person will want to challenge you to prove why you don’t deserve the name. It won’t be a good option if you are an actual copycat.
If you are not in the mood for a chat, you can also say this.
You wish
If a person accuses you of copying him/her, you can say this. It will make the person want to prove to people that you have been copying him/her already.
That way, you get to prove you are original to people and the accusation will end automatically. However, if you happen to be a true copycat, this response may only worsen the embarrassment.
Don’t think so highly of yourself
Give this response if a person accuses you of copying him/her. The person will want to challenge you to prove your originality and you have to be ready.
If you can’t prove that your work is original, this response won’t work fine.
You can’t be copied. Your stupidity is unique to you
This response is perfect if the accusation is only said as an insult. It will also work if the person is accusing you of copying him/her.
You are automatically denying the accusation and insulting the person too. The person will persist if he/she is serious about the accusation. If it was meant as an insult, he/she will either shut up or come up with another insult.
You’re not better than me
You can say this if a person says you are only good as a copycat. With this response, you are challenging the person’s original works with your original works.
You can also say this if you believe the person is also a copycat. This will end up shaming both of you so it is good to prove to people how you have been able to learn by copying the works of people.
I learn my way. Focus on yourself
This is a way to admit that you have been copying people and also prove you have only been learning from the process.
By telling the person to focus on himself or herself, you will probably shut the person up.
Conclusion
Do not be a copycat. It will be quite hard to defend yourself when you are what they say you are. However, there are still ways to avoid total embarrassment. The list above should help you out.