On the Trail of Inanimate Entities in Kiswahili Classes 1/2, MU1/WA

The work argues that semantic assignment rules are regarded by Bantuists and linguists as central features of Bantu class systems. Accordingly, Bantu languages distinguish between animate and non-animate classes and between augmentative, diminutive and other semantic features. These features have been taken as more or less unassailable principles about Bantu noun class systems. In this paper, we take another look at the animate versus non-animate dichotomy. To illustrate our point clearly, we examine the agreement patterns of two NPs mtoto wa bandia 'toy' and mtoto wa meza 'table drawer' and reveal that they inflect in the classes 1/2, MU1 and WA. We also look at similar NPs that inflect in the classes 1/2, and distinguish between linguistic entities and biobotanic entities. We also compare some of our NPs with patterns available in other classes. We conclude that the evidence does not support traditional rules of Bantu classes 1/2 that make the classes exclusively animate in content. We suggest, therefore, that Kiswahilists, Bantuists and linguists would serve Bantu noun categorization theory better if they take cognizance of mother-tongue Kiswahili usage, rather than defend their own versions of Kiswahili in the name of scholarship.