I think that what “signalling” does that “communication” does not is when we use it to analyze how specific actions convey meaning. For example, there’s a rich literature on flirting, in which scientists try to break down how various physical postures and gestures interact with things like laughter to signal attraction or aversion. “Communication” tends to imply a conscious, explicit, primarily verbal way of getting information across. “Signalling” tends to imply a subconscious, implicit, and primarily nonverbal way of getting information across. I think what we need isn’t so much a taboo on these terms as a clarification of what the difference is between them.
I think that what “signalling” does that “communication” does not is when we use it to analyze how specific actions convey meaning. For example, there’s a rich literature on flirting, in which scientists try to break down how various physical postures and gestures interact with things like laughter to signal attraction or aversion. “Communication” tends to imply a conscious, explicit, primarily verbal way of getting information across. “Signalling” tends to imply a subconscious, implicit, and primarily nonverbal way of getting information across. I think what we need isn’t so much a taboo on these terms as a clarification of what the difference is between them.