Artifact of Language

An artifact of language is when you have to say something that's not what you want to say because your language doesn't have the right words for the concepts you're talking about.

In meditation and related philosophy we hit this a lot in talking about the self. We say there is no self but then constantly use the words “I” and “you” because it's the easiest way refer to a person. We could bend the language but then things become cumbersome and harder to understand.

Put another way, artifacts of language are the places where your language makes you refer to a concept or idea in a way that's counter to your argument so you're relying on the reader/listener to cut you some slack.

Non-dualism is a good example of a place where language complicates discussion.