AN MD80 PIC TURNS THE WRONG WAY ON TXWY T WHEN CONFUSED AS TO HIS POS RELATING TO THE GND CTLR'S INSTRUCTIONS AT ORD; IL.

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ON ARR RWY 14R; NIGHT VMC; WE CLRED AT THE APPROPRIATE FIRST HIGH SPD; AND CONTACTED GND. HE TOLD US TO TURN L TXWYS A7; A; H; AND P TO OUR OPEN GATE. HIS WORDS 'TURN L' LED US TO BELIEVE AT FIRST THOUGHT WE WERE S OF TXWY A7; HENCE HIS TERM 'TO L' -- OTHERWISE THE MORE NORMAL INSTRUCTIONS WOULD HAVE BEEN 'CONTINUE ON TXWY T TO TXWY A7.' SO WE TURNED L AFTER CLRING NO TFC ON TXWY T. GND INFORMED US WE HAD TURNED THE WRONG WAY; SO WE EFFECTED A TURN BACK TO REJOIN TXWY T SBOUND AND FOUND TXWY A7 A DISTANCE DOWN TXWY T TO THE S OF OUR RWY CLRING TXWY. OTHER ACFT ALSO HAD SOME DIFFICULTY DURING THAT SHORT SPAN DETERMINING HIS EXACT INSTRUCTIONS. NO CONFLICT EXISTED; BUT BEING PROFESSIONAL WE WERE NOT PLEASED WE DID NOT FULLY COMPLY WITH HIS INTENDED TAXI RTE AT FIRST. I DO FEEL SOMEWHAT NONSTANDARD INSTRUCTIONS WERE ISSUED. WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN DIRECTED TO TURN R ON TXWY T FIRST. NOT ALL PLTS ARE BASED AT ORD AND INTIMATELY FAMILIAR. I AM IN THE KNOW AND STILL GOT LED DOWN THE PATH. THIS IS NOT TO SAY ORD DOESN'T DO THE BEST -- THEY DID -- AND HE DID. FOOD FOR THOUGHT.