This study examined the impact of right and left lateral ventricle dilatation on early language function associated with intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH). Because language is controlled primarily by the left cerebral hemisphere, it was hypothesized that language ability would be related to extent of left side dilatation more than to right. The relations of the number of other common complications of prematurity and socioeconomic status to language also were explored, and their independent contributions to the variance in the outcome were determined. The receptive and expressive language abilities of 45 low birth weight preterms, 18 of whom suffered IVH, were evaluated at a mean age of 16 months. Correlational analyses indicated that left, but not right, ventricle dilatation was inversely related to the expressive language measure. Partial correlations, holding the effects of medical complications and socioeconomic status constant, Indicated that the impact of left ventricle dilatation was independent of these variables. Number of medical complications also had an independent relation to expressive language outcome that was equivalent to that of the left ventricle dilatation. Implications of these findings are discussed. J Dev Behav Pediatr 11:17-21, 1990