Someone's selling the above guitar (
Ibanez AEL20E) in a local (online) ad space here. To quote the seller:
Wts Ibanez AEL20E semi acoustic
A semi-acoustic guitar isn't one pictured above. This is an acoustic electric. A semi-acoustic guitar refers to a solid body instrument with hollowed out parts (usually the sides) so technically, it's a semi (meaning: part/ not entirely) acoustic as the rest of the instrument is of solid construction. The Ibanez AEL20E is an electric acoustic guitar; an acoustic model with the capability of being plugged into an amp.
Is this a big deal? It is, if in a sale transaction, a misrepresentation occurs. Say you are selling the above guitar with the above description & do not provide visual references, the buyer might be relying on the 'semi-acoustic' tag for the purchase. The deal is done & upon meeting, the guitar in question isn't a 'semi-acoustic'. That's the complication.