SUPER MD80 FLC RETURNED TO GATE AFTER TAXI OUT DUE TO THE R ENG COMPRESSOR STALLS.

Narrative

AS ACFT BEGAN PUSHBACK FROM THE GATE; WE HAD STARTED THE SAFETY DEMONSTRATION IN THE AISLE. DURING THE DEMONSTRATION; WE HEARD A LOUD THUMPING SOUND FROM THE REAR OF THE ACFT. WE; FLT ATTENDANTS; RPTED IT TO THE CAPT; WHO INFORMED US THAT HE WAS AWARE OF THE SOUND. WE CONTINUED ONTO THE RWY FOR TKOF; BUT WHILE TAXIING OUT; WE HEARD THE LOUD THUMPING SOUND INTERMITTENTLY; COMING FROM THE R ENG. AT THIS POINT; I WAS IN MY JUMP SEAT IN THE AFT PORTION OF THE PLANE; AND PAX LOOKED TO ME AND FLT ATTENDANT #4 FOR AN EXPLANATION. AS WE ENTERED THE RWY AND THE PLT STARTED TO REV UP THE ENGS; THE THUMPING CONTINUED. THEN THE CAPT ANNOUNCED OVER THE PA THAT WE WERE RETURNING TO THE GATE SO THAT A MECH COULD CHK ON THE NOISE. AFTER ARRIVING AT THE GATE; THE CAPT THEN ANNOUNCED THAT EVERYONE SHOULD WAIT ONBOARD UNTIL FURTHER ADVISED. ABOUT 10 MINS LATER; WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO DEPLANE BECAUSE THE ACFT WAS BEING TAKEN OTS. THE CAPT LATER INFORMED ME THAT THE THUMPING SOUND WAS THE RESULT OF A COMPRESSOR STALL; AND THAT HE WAS HESITANT TO USE THAT TERM TO INFORM THE PAX OF THE PROB; BECAUSE THEY COULD POSSIBLY MISINTERPRET THE WORD 'STALL.'