As I only fly "spamcans" (as some of you professional pilots like to call them - by the way, what DID you start flying in?), I have never had any problem with the expression or its meaning, hence my choice of it as a logon name. Surely the key is ATC demanding a clear and complete readback? There is a serious risk of over-engineering here - with almost every alternative which has been suggested.
Even with the dreadful accidents described, the suggested alternative phrasing may just as easily have been misunderstood. We have all heard people readback what they wanted to hear, rather than what was actually said.
P&H