It is not a true innuendo to repeat the obvious meaning of defamatory
words in other language or in an embroidered or exaggerated way.
Otherwise an ingenious pleader could perplex the Judge and jury and
harry the defendant by ringing the changes on the same words,
creating numerous different causes of action, each requiring a
separate verdict. A true innuendo relies on a conjunction of the words
used and some extrinsic fact. Thus, it is defamatory in itself to say that
a man’s affairs are being investigated by the Fraud Squad: but the
statement does not support the innuendo that those affairs are being
carried on fraudulently. Conversely, the statement ‘X is a good
advertiser’ is innocent in itself, but carries a libelous innuendo if
published to persons, who know the extrinsic fact that X is an
eminent member of the Bar.” R.F.V Heuston, Salmond on the Law of
Torts 149 (17th ed. 1977). The example about lawyers’ advertising no
longer has relevance to American law.”

[25] The foregoing goes to show the complexity of an innuendo, as opposed to
ordinary words used in a different language or embroidered form to explain
the meaning of defamatory words and which words or implication thereof,
can be easily understood by the reasonable person.

[26] I say this because in the case of Argus Printing and Publishing Co Ltd v
Esselen’s Estate (Supra) the headnotes espouse the applicable test in
determining whether the words of a publication are defamatory per se or an
innuendo, in the following terms:“The basic criterion for adjudicating in an exception to the Particulars of
Claim in an action for damages, whether the words complained of are
reasonably capable of conveying a defamatory meaning, is whether a
reasonable person of ordinary intelligence might reasonably understand the
words of the article to convey a meaning defamatory of the Plaintiff. The test
is an objective one. In the absence of an innuendo, the reasonable person of
ordinary intelligence is taken to understand the words alleged to be
defamatory in their natural and ordinary meaning. In determining this
natural and ordinary meaning the court must take into account not only
what the words expressly say, but also what they imply----- It must be
emphasized that such an implied meaning has nothing to do with innuendo,
which relates to a secondary or unusual defamatory meaning which can be

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