In 1989, the Chronicle looked at teen lingo. The results were hilarious.

Alief-Hastings students Natasha Richards, left, Parul Mehta, John Koutani and Chinh Nguyen, March 6, 1989.



>>So what were teens saying in 1989? Find out in the photos that follow... Alief-Hastings students Natasha Richards, left, Parul Mehta, John Koutani and Chinh Nguyen, March 6, 1989.



>>So what were teens saying in 1989? Find out in the photos that follow... Photo: John Everett, Houston Chronicle Photo: John Everett, Houston Chronicle Image 1 of / 35 Caption Close In 1989, the Chronicle looked at teen lingo. The results were hilarious. 1 / 35 Back to Gallery

Thirty years ago, the Houston Chronicle set out to clue in all those squares as to the lingo that was hip with teens.

Houston students were enlisted to help explain the mysterious language we used with our "road dogs."

"What's really in is sarcasm," Cheryl Watson, 18, a Memorial senior, told reporter Gina Seay. If someone spills a drink on your 20-page history report, you should nod your head and say slowly, "Niiice job."

Helpfully, the newspaper provided a handy list for decoding what we were saying back then.

So don't "bail out," click through the slide show to see what we youngsters were saying as the '80s came to a close. And click here to see more of how Houston looked in 1989.

J.R. Gonzales, a third-generation Houstonian, covers local history with an eye toward the people and events that have mostly been forgotten to time. Follow him through Bayou City History on Facebook and Twitter. He can be reached at 713-362-6163 or john.gonzales@chron.com.



