But having just come back from JFK recently, there are some things about the language the controllers use that really concerns me.
For example, rolling out after landing, the instruction was given to exit "the third taxiway down on your right". I suppose he was trying to be helpful, but by the time he finished his sentence, we already rolled by two taxiways. So which one is he talking about? In the end, he gave us another clearance with the taxiway name instead, and that was that.
And taxi clearances can sometimes get a bit long winded. I really don't need to know that the Jetblue guys have blocked Bravo because they just spilled some coffee. Just say "right on Alpha" would be fine I reckon.
English is english, but when you're at an airport such as JFK, with so many international carriers and unfamiliar crews, a bit more standard phraseology could be helpful.