By age eight, he had reportedly taught himself eight languages (Latin, Greek, French, Russian, German, Hebrew, Turkish, and Armenian) and invented another, which he called "Vendergood".
8-aastasena olevat ta öeldavasti õppinud ise 8 keelt: ladina, kreeka, prantsuse, vene, saksa, heebrea, türgi ja armeenia ning leiutas uue keele, mida ta nimetas vendergood'iks.