Someone who diverts attention from the core
point in an argument by taking offence or paying excessive attention to the individual
words used.
It's similar to the strawman fallacy.
This tactic is quite effective in that the person making the original
point becomes distracted and usually ends up forgetting or relinquishing their core argument because they end up addressing the wordworm's objections.
Protagonist:, I think you need to understand why I'm feeling a
little upset about (insert
issue here). Can you allow me to explain?
Wordyworm: What? you'
re saying I'm stupid? That I don't understand?