I think it could be more of both maybe ? Perhaps they use certain words and phrases depending on the tone , volume and general demeanour of the way people are talking around them ? I had a Furby too and this seemed to be the case with mine anyway . I don ' t know personally I ' m terrible at understanding electronics and what they can and can ' t do ! Your story is brilliant though and reminds me of the Christmas that I got a small , silver voice recorder that I found endlessly amusing especially when Nmom tried to record a message on it telling me to get a thrash bag to clean up a mess , couldn ' t do it properly and when she pressed the play button , it just repeatedly informed her that TellMeImNotCrazy 89 is the coolest person in the universe over and over again . P