The Dalai Lama on Thursday added a new entry to his English vocabulary - "political correctness" - oddly enough in Prague, a liberal city known for leniency towards the incorrect.

Tibet's spiritual leader, who is in the Czech capital to speak about human rights in Asia at a conference on Friday, found himself lost for words when a Czech journalist asked him what he thought about political correctness.

"What do you mean?" he blinked, genuinely puzzled.

His expression forced laughs from the crowd and an eloquent explanation from the journalist, but the Dalai Lama still looked stumped.

"What do you mean?" he repeated, shaking his head and turning to his assistants for help.

After a lengthy discourse, the Dalai Lama straightened up but still radiated uncertainty.

"I don't know... I openly express - ifand cho chang in tiny, tiny type. And don't get me started on poor hearing in a crowded room. Now that's struggling.

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*In July 2007 on Thai Language Day, the Thai Government's Ministry of Culture awarded Andrew Biggs Excellent User of the Thai Language. It was the first time the award had been given to a foreigner, and it attracted a lot of attention.