An air carrier flight crew flying B737 at mdw reports confusion as to their taxi clearance.

Attributes
ACN	440150
Time
Date	199906
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mdw.airport
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : mdw.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 8000
ASRS Report	440150
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

Taxiing from gate, ground control instructed us to taxi to runway 4R via taxiway K and taxiway Y. While taxiing at idle taxi power on taxiway K and completing our pretkof checklist, we were approaching taxiway Y which was at our approximately 4 O'clock position, we noticed 2 aircraft approaching us. At that point ground control was stating for us to stop our position and allow traffic to pass us and then we could continue our taxi to runway 4R. The tone in her voice to me indicated that we were not complying with the previous clearance, when in fact we were. We did stop well prior to taxiway Y allowing the 2 aircraft to pass us. We then continued our taxi to runway 4R. At no point was there any concern by myself, or my copilot, or the other aircraft of a potential taxiway incursion.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR FLC FLYING B737 AT MDW RPTS CONFUSION AS TO THEIR TAXI CLRNC.

Narrative: TAXIING FROM GATE, GND CTL INSTRUCTED US TO TAXI TO RWY 4R VIA TXWY K AND TXWY Y. WHILE TAXIING AT IDLE TAXI PWR ON TXWY K AND COMPLETING OUR PRETKOF CHKLIST, WE WERE APCHING TXWY Y WHICH WAS AT OUR APPROX 4 O'CLOCK POS, WE NOTICED 2 ACFT APCHING US. AT THAT POINT GND CTL WAS STATING FOR US TO STOP OUR POS AND ALLOW TFC TO PASS US AND THEN WE COULD CONTINUE OUR TAXI TO RWY 4R. THE TONE IN HER VOICE TO ME INDICATED THAT WE WERE NOT COMPLYING WITH THE PREVIOUS CLRNC, WHEN IN FACT WE WERE. WE DID STOP WELL PRIOR TO TXWY Y ALLOWING THE 2 ACFT TO PASS US. WE THEN CONTINUED OUR TAXI TO RWY 4R. AT NO POINT WAS THERE ANY CONCERN BY MYSELF, OR MY COPLT, OR THE OTHER ACFT OF A POTENTIAL TXWY INCURSION.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.