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In this paper a new technique for representing dialectal differences will be introduced. A kind of simplification will be attempted to represent the distribution patterns of the lexical items of standard Japanese. In order to simplify the geographical distribution patterns, railway distance center graph is utilized. In this technique geographical locations are plotted on a one-dimensional line from a cultural center. The shift of the main cultural center of Japan from the west to the east is reflected in the graphs obtained from factor analysis and cluster analysis, and in the geographical distribution patterns of the standard Japanese words making use of the railway distance. The process of dissemination has been concisely summarized by the railway distance center graph. Multivariate analysis allows us to grasp an overall picture of the relationship between dialectal distribution and the historical background of words. After applying multivariate techniques the results can be represented by more concise and simplified numerical techniques.
