Ignoratio elenchi

Ignoratio elenchi is a big, fancy word that means "ignorance of the argument". It happens when someone argues against a point that was not actually being made in the first place.

Let's say that you and your friend are talking about what movie to watch. Your friend suggests watching a comedy, but you say that you don't like the actor in the movie. Your friend might say something like "But it's a really funny movie!" This response is ignoring your argument about not liking the actor and bringing up a point that is not relevant to the discussion.

So, ignoratio elenchi is when someone misses the point of what is being discussed and argues against something different. It's important to stay on topic in conversations and debates so that each side can understand each other's points of view.