Which of the following is not an essential of defemation?
There must be a defematory statement.
Understading of the defematory statement is not necessary.
There must be a publication of the defamatory statement, that is to say, it must be communicated to some person other than the plaintiff himself.
In case of slander, either there must be proof of special damages or the slander must come within the serious classes of cases in which it is actionable per se.
In case of defemantion, the defamatory statement must be understood by right-thinking or reasonable minded persons as referring to the plaintiff. Hence the correct option is b.