The study of asymmetrically self‐reversed lines emitted by inhomogeneous gas discharges has been made on the basis of an extension of the multiparameter method. A new procedure has been developed which makes it possible to determine the line broadening at the arc axis, its radial variation, and the ratio shift/width. An investigation is made into the effect of these quantities on the determination of the plasma temperature. The proposed method has been applied to high‐pressure mercury discharges operating on dc and ac (50 Hz) using the mercury line 5461 A˚. The pressure broadening in the impact approximation has been measured to be (1.43±0.11)×104mA˚ atm−1  K0.7; the corresponding line shift is towards the blue line wing.