Correct. Learning a programming language is trivial. Far easier than a foreign language.
If we think of it in terms of learning a language, what matters is the grammar and ability to use it to struct prose to create a coherent story.
There’s also a lot of reuse which requires knowing what’s available. The closest analogy there is how music sampling is used.
I am curious how accurate any of this is and if there are any confirmed sources. Since everyone was murdered except him, he could tell his own tale of the ordeal.