Lesser Sunda Islands
- proper noun
:
Islas Menores de la Sonda
- Many tourists visit Bali, which is part of the Lesser Sunda Islands, for its beautiful beaches.
Examples
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Timor, one of the Lesser Sunda Islands, is shared between Indonesia and Timor-Leste.
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The Lesser Sunda Islands include both volcanic and non-volcanic islands in southeastern Indonesia.
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The Lesser Sunda Islands are known for their stunning beaches.
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Have you ever visited the Lesser Sunda Islands?
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Many tourists visit Bali, which is part of the Lesser Sunda Islands, for its beautiful beaches.
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The Lesser Sunda Islands include both volcanic and non-volcanic islands in southeastern Indonesia.
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Timor, one of the Lesser Sunda Islands, is shared between Indonesia and Timor-Leste.
Synonyms
A chain of islands in eastern Indonesia including Bali, Lombok, Sumbawa, Flores, Sumba and Timor
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase combines transparent constituents 'lesser' (smaller/less significant) and 'islands' (pieces of land surrounded by water), so its basic meaning as a group of islands named 'Sunda' is compositionally clear. However, understanding which islands or the geographic referent requires knowledge of the proper noun 'Sunda' and regional geography, so full comprehension is not guaranteed for a B1 learner.
Etymology
Lesser Sunda Islands comes from old maps that split the Sunda islands into two groups. On those maps Lesser meant 'smaller' and Sunda was the name for the area, so the phrase now means the 'smaller' Sunda islands and refers to the chain east of Java that includes Bali, Lombok, Flores and Timor.
