What is a diphthong? Daniel Craig teaches Stephen Colbert the right way to pronounce his name

Daniel Craig, best known for playing James Bond, turned a casual interview into an impromptu phonetics lesson during his appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on December 2, 2024.

The actor humorously corrected Colbert's long-standing mispronunciation of his surname, using the opportunity to highlight the concept of a diphthong—a linguistic term describing a combination of two vowel sounds within the same syllable. This subtle shift in tongue position during pronunciation became the centerpiece of their exchange.

During his sixth appearance on the show, Craig wasted no time addressing the issue.

"I have a bone to pick with you," the Knives Out star stated. "Six shows. Say my name." Colbert, caught off guard, attempted to pronounce it, eliciting Craig's approval: "Now you're doing it right."

However, Daniel Craig remained suspicious of Colbert’s newfound accuracy. When Colbert asked, "Why? Am I saying Creig?" Craig confirmed the mistake, explaining the correct pronunciation involves a diphthong, making it "Cray-ig" rather than the frequently misheard "Creig."

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Daniel Craig uses humor and linguistics to set the record straight

Daniel Craig seized the moment to break down a linguistic concept. "It's a diphthong," he explained, referring to the dual vowel sound that differentiates his surname from similar-sounding words. To make his point, Craig jokingly compared the error to mispronouncing Colbert's name by emphasizing the "T," quipping, "I don't say Col-bett!"

As the audience laughed, Craig repeated the correct pronunciation several times for Colbert's benefit. Eventually, Colbert began to hear the distinction, conceding,

"Ooh, I hear the difference. That is subtle, and I apologize."

Daniel Craig revealed that Colbert had been mispronouncing his name for all six of his appearances on the show. The audience gasped in unison as the actor clarified the extent of the issue. Despite the repeated error, Craig reassured Colbert that he bore no ill will, saying, "It's just fine. It's whatever."

To mend the situation, Colbert offered a compromise:

"You can call me Colbert, if you want."

He then joked:

"I don't want Daniel Crayg mad at me. Daniel Creig? F--- that guy. Daniel Crayg? I'm so sorry. Please accept my apology."

The discussion soon shifted to Stephen Colbert's own name. He shared the story behind his family's pronunciation variations. His father, originally pronounced "Colbert" with a hard "T," but decided to let his children choose between the anglicized version and the French-inspired "Col-bear."

Colbert noted that this decision led to different pronunciations within the family, describing it as "the law firm of Colbert, Colbert, Colbert, and Colbert."

The segment concluded with Daniel Craig forgiving Colbert and the pair shaking hands.

Daniel Craig is currently promoting his latest film Queer, which debuted on November 27 and has been the focus of his public appearances. Additionally, he is set to reprise his role as Benoit Blanc in the upcoming installment of the Knives Out franchise. Stephen Colbert continues to host The Late Show, delivering nightly interviews and comedy segments as part of the show’s ongoing success on CBS.