Narrative:

Positioned on taxiway H holding short of runway 27, tower controller issued clearance 'air carrier X hold in position runway 27.' first officer responded 'tower, confirm air carrier X, position and hold runway 27.' tower controller responded 'air carrier X, hold in position runway 27.' first officer responded 'position and hold runway 27, air carrier X.' with a clear runway and no incoming traffic displayed on TCASII, we began taxiing toward runway 27, and the tower controller called 'air carrier X hold your position.' at this point, we were positioned beyond the taxi hold line by a few ft, but not yet on the runway. An aircraft on final approach to runway 27 was beyond 5 mi and above 2700 ft as confirmed by the TCASII (no target displayed). The aircraft was ordered to go around by the tower controller long before it was in close proximity to the runway. Subsequently, we were cleared into position on runway 27, followed by a takeoff clearance. The crew was put into an unsafe situation as a result of the controller's failure to use standard ICAO terminology. The above event was compounded by the controller discussing the incident on tower frequency immediately following rotation and during our initial climb out, resulting in a distraction from our flying duties during a critical phase of flight. This incident underscores the chronic problem of international controller's failure to use and lack of understanding of standard ICAO terminology.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD11 FLT CREW MISUNDERSTANDS CLRNC AND HAS RWY INCURSION AT VABB.

Narrative: POSITIONED ON TXWY H HOLDING SHORT OF RWY 27, TWR CTLR ISSUED CLRNC 'ACR X HOLD IN POS RWY 27.' FO RESPONDED 'TWR, CONFIRM ACR X, POS AND HOLD RWY 27.' TWR CTLR RESPONDED 'ACR X, HOLD IN POS RWY 27.' FO RESPONDED 'POS AND HOLD RWY 27, ACR X.' WITH A CLR RWY AND NO INCOMING TFC DISPLAYED ON TCASII, WE BEGAN TAXIING TOWARD RWY 27, AND THE TWR CTLR CALLED 'ACR X HOLD YOUR POS.' AT THIS POINT, WE WERE POSITIONED BEYOND THE TAXI HOLD LINE BY A FEW FT, BUT NOT YET ON THE RWY. AN ACFT ON FINAL APCH TO RWY 27 WAS BEYOND 5 MI AND ABOVE 2700 FT AS CONFIRMED BY THE TCASII (NO TARGET DISPLAYED). THE ACFT WAS ORDERED TO GAR BY THE TWR CTLR LONG BEFORE IT WAS IN CLOSE PROX TO THE RWY. SUBSEQUENTLY, WE WERE CLRED INTO POS ON RWY 27, FOLLOWED BY A TKOF CLRNC. THE CREW WAS PUT INTO AN UNSAFE SIT AS A RESULT OF THE CTLR'S FAILURE TO USE STANDARD ICAO TERMINOLOGY. THE ABOVE EVENT WAS COMPOUNDED BY THE CTLR DISCUSSING THE INCIDENT ON TWR FREQ IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING ROTATION AND DURING OUR INITIAL CLBOUT, RESULTING IN A DISTR FROM OUR FLYING DUTIES DURING A CRITICAL PHASE OF FLT. THIS INCIDENT UNDERSCORES THE CHRONIC PROB OF INTL CTLR'S FAILURE TO USE AND LACK OF UNDERSTANDING OF STANDARD ICAO TERMINOLOGY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.