The present paper offers a fundamental discussion of constituent parameters and relevant issues associated with the concepts of pluricentricity and epicentres. It proposes an explicit division into a weak reading, highlighting the co-existence of national varieties of languages, and a strong one, focusing on influence exerted by some varieties on others. Parameters which constitute epicentres include size and speaker numbers, geographical proximity, intensity of mutual relations, directionality of influence, and attitudinal factors. Methodologically, a fully convincing documentation of epicentral influence would call for diachronic data from both varieties in question, an investigation of detailed usage conditions of forms compared, and a plausible account of the potential for contact – though for now this seems very difficult to achieve. It is suggested that the perspective taken should not only encompass standard varieties and that the weak version of pluricentricity has strong roots in language attitudes and perception rather than production.

中文翻译：

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震中地位参数

本文对与多中心性和震中概念相关的组成参数和相关问题进行了基本讨论。它提出了明确划分为弱读，突出民族语言变体的共存，和强读，侧重于某些变体对其他变体的影响。构成震中的参数包括大小和说话人数量、地理接近度、相互关系的强度、影响的方向性和态度因素。从方法论上讲，震中影响的完全令人信服的记录需要来自所讨论的两个变体的历时数据，对比较形式的详细使用条件的调查，以及对接触潜力的合理描述——尽管目前这似乎很难实现。