CONFUSION AS TO THE DIRECTION OF ASSIGNED TURN DURING DEP FROM EWR; NJ.

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RECENT CAPT UPGRADE IN L SEAT; 1 YR FO IN R SEAT (SEVERAL YRS WITH COMMUTER). DAY VFR; BRIEFED DEP PROCS CAREFULLY. EWR HAS PRECISE TURNS TO AVOID NOISE POLLUTION. FO'S LEG TO MSP. TKOF ON RWY 22R WAS NORMAL. SWITCHED TO DEP CTL AS WE STARTED L TURN TO 190 DEGS; CLBING TO 2500 FT. (2500 FT ASSIGNED BY GND CTL PRIOR TO TKOF.) UPON CHK-IN WITH DEP; I HEARD THIS CLRNC 'TURN L TO 360 DEGS.' I READ IT BACK; WONDERING ABOUT A L TURN AT EWR; AND THINKING I SHOULD ASK IF 'L' WAS CORRECT. THE CTLR RESTATED CLRNC; TO TURN L TO (NOW) 320 DEGS. FO CONFIRMED HE HEARD L TO 320 DEGS. I READ IT BACK; STILL WONDERING ABOUT THE DIRECTION OF TURN. BEFORE I COULD ASK THE OBVIOUS 'ARE YOU SURE ABOUT L TURN?' I WAS CLRED TO CLB TO 10000 FT. I READ BACK THE CLRNC TO 10000 FT (HABIT) AND SET ALT ALERTER; VERIFYING THE ALT WITH THE FO. SUDDENLY; THE CTLR ORDERED AN IMMEDIATE 'STOP CLB; TURN R TO 270 DEGS.' I READ IT BACK TO HIM AND WE COMPLIED. HE ASSIGNED 3000 FT; A FURTHER TURN TO 320 DEGS; AND ADVISED THAT A L TURN OFF RWY 22 AT EWR WAS NEVER A GOOD IDEA. I ITERATED THAT I HAD READ BACK 'L' TWICE; AND THAT MY FO HAD HEARD IT AS WELL. HE SAID HE HAD NOT HEARD THE WORD 'L.' NO MORE WAS SAID; AND WE PROCEEDED TO MSP. HABITS ARE GOOD -- WHEN THEY'RE STANDARDIZED; BUT I'M STILL A NEW CAPT; AND I'VE BEEN TO EWR MANY TIMES OVER THE YRS. I SHOULD HAVE QUESTIONED TURN INSTANTLY.