What, if any, are essential differences between mincing and grinding?
I tend to associate mincing with soft foods (other materials?) such as meat. In particular, Merriam
Webster has the following (for the transitive verb):
a : to cut or chop into very small pieces
b : to subdivide minutely; especially : to damage by cutting up: to utter or pronounce with affectation
a: archaic : minimize
b : to restrain (words) within the bounds of decorum
Here 3.a points out the etymology and maybe the technique of mincing, while 3.b suggest metaphorical usage (mince one's words).
Grinding might connote harder materials, such as pepper or nuts. Again from MW (transitive verb):
to reduce to powder or small fragments by friction (as with the teeth)
to press together and move with a rotating or back-and-forth motion—see bruxism
Etymonline gives OE grindan "to rub together, grate, scrape" and earlier roots with the same meaning.
Apparently, one can also grind beef, for example.
Is there any difference in the technique of mincing and grinding different materials? Or in the intensity of crushing? In the accompanying sounds? (Hopefully grinding one's teeth is mainly about the sound, not producing anything.)
Or is it just a matter of collocation — mince is customary with some materials, grind with other materials?
Best Answer
Mincing has the connotation of being cut with an instrument with a slicing edge, whereas grinding utilizes friction between two or more points. More about the physical action and tools involved rather than materials; although because of the difference in technique, they have varying effectivness with materials of varying consistency.
Both turns of phrase make sense describing said techniques metaphorically and physically, respectively.