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What does バタバタ mean?

コラム書かなきゃ。映像チェックしなきゃ。アレも書かなきゃ。アレも考えなきゃ。バタバタバタ子さん(´･_･`)

Everything make sense to me except for the last part.

language hacker
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2 Answers2

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I probably found this too late for my answer to be of interest, but I think I can shed some light on the mystery.

The phrase used is a paraphrase of a line from a well-known (to Japanese children at least) song from Sore Ike Anpanman.　I am not sure of the song's name, but the first line is 勇気の鈴がりんりんりん and it was played as the ending theme of many episodes in 2010. It has also been used as the ending theme of more than one of the Anpanman movies. The line in question is:

バタバタ走るよ、バタ子さん。

バタ子's name (usually written バタコ) actually means "butter-child" (the 子 is a frequent female name ending). バタバタ indicates her busy nature as well as being a pun on her name. The writer of the original sentence has clearly truncated the line to バタバタバタ子さん, probably expecting the reference to be obvious. To anyone living in a house with small Japanese children around 2010/2011 it certainly would have been obvious.

Earthliŋ
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Cure Dolly
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    This question and now your answer will still be around for quite a while, and will be found by people searching for バタバタ. (The first result for "バタバタ meaning" on Google is this page and now includes your explanation.) To edit your post click "edit" below your post. – Earthliŋ Oct 08 '14 at 09:36
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バタバタ is an onomatopoeia expressing busyness. Usually, a Japanese onomatopoeia repeats a two-mora part (like バタ) twice, four morae in total, but here, it is repeated thrice.

  • Does 子 here mean that he is referring to himself as a girl, or as a child? – language hacker Jul 27 '11 at 19:52
  • I think it's a boy because I know who this is. What makes you think he's a girl? – language hacker Jul 27 '11 at 20:30
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    The 子 ending. If it is not a boy, then he's trying to look childish, I guess. –  Jul 27 '11 at 20:39
  • Would a boy normally ever use that ending when referring to himself, or only girls? This person likes to wear female clothing. – language hacker Jul 27 '11 at 20:40
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    If you know the person, why don't you ask him what he meant? – Axioplase Jul 28 '11 at 03:04
  • @language hacker : the wearing of female clothing is not indictive in current japanese culture of men being okama or gay. The latest fashion trend in tokyo is for guys to wear dresses. That and visual-kei people also routinely dress in drag as well. Though, still a little different than an okama who might choose to use feminine language. – Mark Hosang Jul 29 '11 at 03:13