What does the term "slander" indicate?

What does the term "slander" indicate?

• A. A legal agreement of support
• B. A false spoken attack on someone's reputation
• C. A written document of praise
• D. An honest critique of someone's character

Answer: (B)

The term "slander" specifically refers to a false spoken statement that damages someone's reputation. In legal contexts, slander is categorized as a form of defamation, which implicates making untrue remarks that can harm an individual's public image and can lead to legal repercussions for the individual making the statement. This definition aligns with the idea that the attack is not only negative but also erroneous, which is critical for classifying it as slander specifically, as opposed to other forms of critique or commentary that may be truthful or constructive. The other choices depict concepts that don’t fit the definition of slander: a legal agreement of support does not involve reputational harm, a written document of praise suggests positive remarks rather than negative, and an honest critique focuses on truthful assessments rather than falsehoods. Thus, "slander" is appropriately captured by the idea of a false spoken attack on someone's reputation.

The term "slander" specifically refers to a false spoken statement that damages someone's reputation. In legal contexts, slander is categorized as a form of defamation, which implicates making untrue remarks that can harm an individual's public image and can lead to legal repercussions for the individual making the statement. This definition aligns with the idea that the attack is not only negative but also erroneous, which is critical for classifying it as slander specifically, as opposed to other forms of critique or commentary that may be truthful or constructive.

The other choices depict concepts that don’t fit the definition of slander: a legal agreement of support does not involve reputational harm, a written document of praise suggests positive remarks rather than negative, and an honest critique focuses on truthful assessments rather than falsehoods. Thus, "slander" is appropriately captured by the idea of a false spoken attack on someone's reputation.