This is easily my most despised topic in the current photographic world.
As stated plainly above, the focal length is the focal length. It does not change, no matter what camera body it is mounted on. It does not "become" something else depending on the sensor.
I sympathize with the opening poster, there is so much confusing terminology used describing lens choice/application these days. And there is so much misinformation.
Particularly troubling is the suggestion that "digital" lenses don't have a crop factor. You may have met someone who realized that their 70-210mm "film lens" became a more potent zoom when used on their new digital body. But that same person will then assert the 55-200mm (DA, DX, DiII, EF-S... insert your choice) doesn't have that boost because it is intended for a digital (crop) body. Sigh!
I'll bet you there are still loads of crop sensor users who are convinced their 50mm "nifty-50" makes a great portrait lens because of its 1.5x crop factor, which their 18-55mm doesn't. Uggghh. Of course, if they only put the lenses on the camera, one after the other, and compared the perspective, they might just realize the 50mm lens has the same field of view as the 50mm setting on their "digital" kit lens.
They might realize it, except that all their internet research, and word of mouth advice (and sometimes misleading sales pitch from a mistaken salesperson) has told them they are two completely different things.