Investigating the Relationship between Noun Classes and Plant Folk Taxonomy in Chasu Language of Kilimanjaro Region in Tanzania

The current study investigates the relationship between noun classes and plant folk taxonomy in Chasu (G 22). The study focuses on two objectives: the first objective is to describe the plant folk taxonomy in Chasu and the second objective is to determine the relationship between noun classes and plant folk taxonomy in Chasu. Data were collected from rural villages in Same and Mwanga districts by using free listing, field interviews (jungle-walk-and-identify), and written texts containing Chasu plant names. The findings reveal that Chasu folk taxonomy reflects different ethnobotanical categories; including a unique beginner which is mmea/mimea ‘plant(s)’, and three life forms: mti /miti ‘tree (s)’, ijani/majani ‘grass(es)’, herb(s)’, and irigherighe/ marigherighe ‘creeper(s)/climber(s)’. Within these three life forms, various generic and specific taxa were identified. Regarding the relationship between noun classes and folk taxonomy, different ethnobotanical categories align with specific noun classes in Chasu. The unique beginner category is designated in noun class 3/4 pair. For the three life forms: the majority of tree names are allocated to noun class 3/4 pair (72.2%), grass/herb names are placed in noun class 5/6 pair (34.9%), and creeper and climber names are predominantly allocated in noun class 5/6 pair (44.4%). This relationship demonstrates that plant folk taxonomy in Chasu is reflected in the Chasu noun class system, where specific noun classes are used in naming particular plant categories. For example, noun classes 3/4 are used for naming trees, 5/6 for grasses/herbs, and 5/6 for creepers and climbers. Further comparative studies involving other Bantu languages across different zones are recommended for exploring the relationship between plant folk taxonomy and Bantu noun class systems.