What is the word for understanding someones implied meaning, but being completely pretentious about it and taking their words for what they literally said?
Learn English – Word for deliberately taking the literal rather than implied message
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Best Answer
"fake or disingenuous literal-mindedness" as FumbleFingers has mentioned in his comment, seems to be the phrase you're looking for.
"Most children under the age of five are naturally literal-minded. It takes a crafty adult to fake literal-mindedness."