'Imitative' in vs 'imitative' of?

English as a Second Language English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
1

I see these two sentences which make very embarrassed:
One in my exercise book: “Small children are very imitative in their behaviour.”
One in the dictionary: “All these magazines are imitative of (= copy) each other.”
Please explain it to me.
Many thanks :smiley:

2

Why are you embarrassed, Duc?

“Small children are very imitative in their behaviour.” --> I imagine they mean that very young children tend to behave the way they see other people behave.

“All these magazines are imitative of (= copy) each other.” --> This suggests that all of the magazines are similar because they imitate each other. None is really different or original.
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3

But, are these 2 phrases interchangeable ?

4

.
No, Duc, they are not – not without doing some rewording.

“Small children are very imitative in their behaviour.”
“Small children are very imitative of other people (including other children)”

“All these magazines are imitative of each other.”
“All these magazines are imitative in their style.”

It seems to me you could look at it this way:

  • Who do children and magazines imitate? They are imitative of others/each other.

  • What aspect of others do children imitate? Children imitate the behavior of others. = Children are imitative in their behavior.

  • What aspect do these magazines imitate? These magazines imitate the style of other magazines. = These magazines are imitative in their style.
    .