Misunderstood the point.

[dls]

The first test, and sine qua non, of defamation is that the words used are such as would reduce the claimant in the opinion of the public. Merely saying something untrue does not imply that at all.

[Hairyloon]

The first test, and sine qua non, of defamation is that the words used are such as would reduce the claimant in the opinion of the public. Merely saying something untrue does not imply that at all.

Sorry, my reply to Pi was hasty: I had assumed his question related to the target of the defamation not the content of the misrepresentation, and I failed to clarify on the point that the misinterpretation would need to be defamatory.