Whose Ears Look Like That?! Why We Call Corn Cobs “Ears”

edible corn is a relatively ancient craw ; humans began selectively breeding its wild ancestor teosinte in Mexico over9,000 yearsago . about 1,500 and 2,000 years after this , part domesticate corn whisky varietiescontinued to spreadto Central and South America respectively . But as this democratic crop developed , so did its etymology , and now , despite looking nothing like the ear on our heads , both have somehow finish up being called the same thing .

Also known asmaize , Indian corn is an edible grain in the pasture familyPoaceae . But clavus is n’t just good at arrest stuck in your teeth , it ’s also used in livestock feed and even biofuel , making it one of the world ’s most widely distributed and productive food for thought crop .

While lemon yellow was the name given in the crop ’s native home , the British would use the term “ corn ” to refer to all cereal types , while the American colonies would touch to it as “ Indian corn ” .

However , the tidings “ ear ” is used to refer to a specific part of the flora . With still hunt that can reach up to 3 meter ( 10 human foot ) high , the male and distaff parts of the industrial plant both get the clavus cob . The sprouting top of the angry walk is the virile part of the plant , while the distaff flower is what develop the ear , which is contain of meat and enveloped inside a stubble .

But what ’s it vex to do with an ear ?

In a sort of convergent evolution , the taxonomy of both “ ears ” derived from different sources and ended in the accurate same position . The ears that we get wind with have anoriginin the Old Englishearemeaning , you guessed it , “ ear ” . This can be traced back to the same meaning in Proto - Germanic ( auso ) , but the Proto - Indo - European origin ofausoishews , think of “ to see ” , which may also be linked to the term for “ observe”,keu .

Ear as a part of corn , however , has arootin Proto - Indo - Europeanak , meaning to be sharp , arise out to a item , or pierce . This , in turn , helped regulate the Proto - Germanicakhuz , meaning spike or ear of grain , and from there the Northumbrian Old Englishæher , and Wet Saxonear .

The Oxford English Dictionary’sdefinitionof ear in this setting is " the part of a grain works which bear its flowers or seeded player , " mean the term can consult to the ears of other grains like barley , wheat , and even rice .