In an argument, when a person addresses one topic with another, seemingly-related topic in order to distract attention from the main topic, it%26#039;s called a %26quot;straw man%26quot;. People who have weak points or just don%26#039;t want to answer a question or address the issue use straw man tactics in the hope that others will be sufficiently distracted to abandon the primary argument.
In general conversation, someone who changes topics instead of replying is someone who is either 1) uncomfortable with what you%26#039;re saying or 2) more interested in hearing their own voice than yours.|||http://onegoodmove.org/fallacy鈥?/a>
While not answering your question directly, this site has a good article on the types of subject changes, and how to deal with them.
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|||not interested lol|||If they don%26#039;t respond to your point, but instead just pick up on some random word that you used and go off-topic with that, it may be one symptom of a disorder.|||It doesn%26#039;t pack the punch of a real insult or negative, if that is what you were looking for, but they would be called a dodger or dodgy.|||an avoider..|||%26quot;Hey, can anyone here tell me the best way to filter my water? Thanks!%26quot;|||I don%26#039;t think there is a particular name for what that person is doing. It is evident, however, that he or she is trying to evade your question or does not want to talk about what you are talking about or is simply not listening to you because they have their own agenda. Everybody is guilty about what you are talking about every now and then, but when the problem becomes habitual, then I would suggest you confront that person and ask them why they are always changing the subject and that you find it particularly bothersome. Sometimes people are not even aware of what they are doing and a little reality check by you might help.|||Rude. Not mature enough to figure out some way to respond, even if they%26#039;re uncomfortable or bored. How sad.|||I don%26#039;t know what you call a person who does that, but the act itself is called prevarication, I think.|||aggravating their on drugs|||A shifty conversation monopolizer
