pattering

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
patter1

▶verb

• 1 make a repeated light tapping sound.

• 2 run with quick light steps.

▶noun a repeated light tapping.

– origin C17: frequentative of pat1.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
patter2

▶noun rapid continuous talk, such as that used by a comedian or salesman.

■ rapid speech included in a comic song.

■ the jargon of a profession or other group.

▶verb talk trivially at length.

– origin ME (as v. in the sense ‘recite rapidly’): from paternoster.