I prefer to call "Connections" "Friends" and have changed a few other wordings in the default language file.
Gallery2 has a cool override where you have a "local" folder and change templates there, so when you upgrade it doesn't erase your changes. It looks in the local folder for changes and if they aren't there it uses the default files.
I know since changing my language file, that my changes will be erased when I upgrade to the next version of CB.
I'd like to suggest an override language file (if there isn't one) which you can redefine CB language terms which won't be erased on upgrade.
I'd actually like to see this for CB's default avatars as well!