Commercial Fixed Wing
Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Instrument
Communication Breakdown; Confusion; Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance
Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification
Company Policy; Chart Or Publication; Airport; Procedure; Human Factors
During taxi out to Runway 13 at LGA for departure; we were on Taxiway G just northwest of the Runway 4/22 intersection. LGA Ground Control instructed us to continue to taxi on G and to 'hold short of the merge'.  That instruction and phraseology 'hold short of the merge' is confusing and not a standard hold short instruction. As you taxi northwest on Taxiway G; there are two spot that could be considered 'the merge'. You could call 'the merge' at Taxiway G and DD or at Taxiway G where it merges with Taxiway P just short of Runway 13/31. At the same time we were give this instruction; another aircraft on Taxiway DD was told to 'hold short of the wind sock'. These types of instructions at LGA are happening on a regular basis and lead to confusion among pilots. LGA Controllers continue to use non-standard phraseology on a regular basis. It happens almost every time I fly into or out of LGA.The LGA Controllers really need to be educated on the proper use of standard phraseology to prevent confusion among pilots. I know it is a busy airport; but using proper phraseology as outlined in the AIM and the 7110.65 would go a long way to help reduce the radio congestion at LGA that is plagued with repeated and missed instructions due to the lack of proper communication.
Air carrier Captain reported Tower's use of non standard taxi phraseology caused confusion.