united states of indonesia
lowformal/historical/academic
Definition
Meaning
The historical official name of the Republic of Indonesia during its federal period from 1949 to 1950.
A transitional federal state established following the Dutch-Indonesian Round Table Conference, consisting of sixteen constituent states, preceding the current unitary Republic of Indonesia.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
This is a proper noun referring to a specific historical political entity. It is not synonymous with the modern Republic of Indonesia, but rather a predecessor state. Often appears in historical, political science, and Southeast Asian studies contexts.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in usage; term is equally historical/academic in both varieties.
Connotations
Neutral historical reference in both. May carry connotations of decolonization, federalism, and post-WWII state formation.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in general language; appears almost exclusively in specialized historical texts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
The United States of Indonesia was [verb: established/dissolved/recognized].Historians study the [adjective: brief/federal] United States of Indonesia.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “none”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Used in historical, political science, and Southeast Asian studies to describe the 1949-1950 federal period.
Everyday
Almost never used; unknown to most general speakers.
Technical
Used as a precise historical and political designation.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The Netherlands finally recognised the united states of Indonesia in December 1949.
- Several territories agreed to federate and form the united states of Indonesia.
American English
- The Netherlands finally recognized the United States of Indonesia in December 1949.
- Delegates worked to constitutionally establish the United States of Indonesia.
adverb
British English
- The nation was organised, briefly, as a federal entity.
- The territory was governed federally under the United States of Indonesia.
American English
- The nation was organized, briefly, as a federal entity.
- The territory was governed federally under the United States of Indonesia.
adjective
British English
- The United States of Indonesia period was marked by political flux.
- He specialised in United States of Indonesia history.
American English
- The United States of Indonesia period was marked by political flux.
- She specialized in United States of Indonesia history.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Indonesia had a different name a long time ago.
- After independence, Indonesia was called the United States of Indonesia for a short time.
- The United States of Indonesia existed from 1949 to 1950.
- The federal United States of Indonesia was superseded by the unitary Republic of Indonesia in 1950.
- Sukarno was the president of both the United States of Indonesia and the subsequent republic.
- The dissolution of the United States of Indonesia in 1950 marked the decisive rejection of federalism in favour of a unitary state.
- Scholars debate whether the United States of Indonesia was a genuine federation or a Dutch-imposed construct to maintain influence.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
UNITED (came together) STATES (federal parts) OF INDONESIA (the region) – it was a short-lived federal union of Indonesian territories.
Conceptual Metaphor
A POLITICAL ENTITY IS A STRUCTURE (often described as a 'federal structure' or 'experiment').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'Соединённые Штаты' (USA).
- The phrase is a proper name, so word-for-word translation ('Объединённые штаты Индонезии') is acceptable but the historical term 'Республика Индонезия Соединённых Штатов' or 'РИС' is more precise.
- Avoid mistranslating 'states' as 'состояния'; here it means 'штаты' (political subdivisions).
Common Mistakes
- Using it to refer to modern Indonesia.
- Capitalization errors (should be 'United States of Indonesia').
- Assuming it implies a connection to the United States of America.
Practice
Quiz
What was the 'United States of Indonesia'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. It was the official name for the Republic of Indonesia during a specific federal period (1949-1950). The modern Republic of Indonesia is a unitary state.
It was a federation (union) of sixteen constituent states and territories, hence 'United States'. This structure was part of a political settlement during the transition from Dutch rule.
It was officially established on December 27, 1949, and was dissolved on August 17, 1950, when it was replaced by the unitary Republic of Indonesia.
No, it is a historical term used primarily in academic and official historical discourse. Most Indonesians refer simply to 'Indonesia' or the 'Republic of Indonesia'.