even if he knows the words as of the latest book, he'd still probably say fourteen to other humans
Right -- after all, one doesn't speak of such things in casual conversation (which is, frankly, all Bren HAS with humans by that point), so Bren's hardly going to be able to explain to them why he suddenly has some updates for the dictionary... :D
And you're right, he still may not know them -- after all, even if they're willing to talk to him about some taboo things, like the numbers of technology, they still may not be comfortable discussing their sex lives and the political ramifications thereof with an alien, even a polite one.
Re: thoughts and reactions, chapters 9-11
Right -- after all, one doesn't speak of such things in casual conversation (which is, frankly, all Bren HAS with humans by that point), so Bren's hardly going to be able to explain to them why he suddenly has some updates for the dictionary... :D
And you're right, he still may not know them -- after all, even if they're willing to talk to him about some taboo things, like the numbers of technology, they still may not be comfortable discussing their sex lives and the political ramifications thereof with an alien, even a polite one.