What the writers might have been trying to get at with the com bonus
added to languages only spoken at 5% is the ability to communicate non
verbally to get across atleast simple points. For a real world example,
I've had employees at my company that spoke only Spanish, which I speak
very poorly. However, with the small amount of Spanish that I knew plus
a lot of communication through facial expressions and body language we
were able basic communication.
A Gloranthan example. An Orlanthi exile in Prax runs into a group of
Strombull nomads who don't speak any Thelyan language or any language in
common with the exile at all. The Orlanthi only knows about 5% of their
tougne. However being the great natural communicator that he is his 12%
com bonus might allow him to get the idea across that "hey 6 Broos are
down there, help me wack 'em" even though he might not know any of those
words in Praxian or Bison or whatever they speak. Nyslor probably had
such a huge com bonus that he could communicate ideas to people of any
language. He could speak to their heart or something
John