ORF APCH CTLR ISSUES A CONFUSING CLRNC TO THE CREW OF A DHC8 LNDG ORF.

Narrative

PROCEEDING TO A FIX (WHICH WE WERE CLRED TO BY PREVIOUS APCH CTLR); LOCATED ON THE ILS RWY 23 ORF; FINAL APCH CTLR GAVE AN 'EXPECT VECTORS TO CROSS THE FINAL APCH COURSE' INSTRUCTION. UPON REACHING THE ASSIGNED FIX; WITH NO HDG OR VECTOR ISSUED BY THE APCH CTLR; PROCEEDED TO TURN INBOUND TO NEXT FIX ALONG RTE. SOON AFTER COMMENCING TURN; APCH CTLR ASKED WHAT OUR HDG WAS. INFORMED APCH CTLR HDG OF 230 DEGS. APCH CTLR THEN ISSUED NEW HDG OFF OF FINAL APCH COURSE AND STATED THAT HE HAD NOT AUTH TURN ONTO FINAL APCH COURSE. TOLD CTLR THAT HE HAD ONLY ISSUED AN 'EXPECT VECTORS TO CROSS FINAL APCH COURSE;' AND THAT SINCE NO OTHER INSTRUCTIONS OR CLRNCS WERE ISSUED BY HIM BEFORE ARRIVING AT FIX TO WHICH CLRED; THAT OUR NEXT FIX WAS ON THE FINAL APCH COURSE; ILS RWY 23 ORF. CONCLUSION: AN 'EXPERT' CLRNC IS NOT AUTH TO CARRY OUT THE ANTICIPATED ACTION; BUT SIMPLY TO 'EXPECT' IT. IF ANTICIPATED CLRNC IS NOT GIVEN BY THE CTLR; NEXT COURSE OF ACTION IS TO CONTINUE ON PREVIOUSLY ASSIGNED CLRNC. ADDITIONAL ACTIONS: BEFORE ARR AT FIX; CTLR COULD HAVE BEEN QUESTIONED BY FLC AS TO HIS INTENT AFTER THE FIX.