What's a Pleonasm?

Reading my last entry, I've been contemplating the term, "working mother." Is there any other kind? Mothers everywhere work. Sure, some of us leave our homes everyday and go to "work" in an office, school, factory, etc. (either because we want to or because we're up to our eyeballs in student loans, like me!). Others may be lucky enough or so inclined so as to stay home with the kids--but every mother "works" regardless.

I work as a lawyer by day, but I'm a mom 24/7. Whether I'm in my living room, at my office, or in a courtroom, I'm a mom. Juggling the day-to-day and trying to keep balance in my life and the life of my family.

Working Mother. It seems redundant to me. It's sort of like saying, "I'm going to an afternoon matinee." By its very definition a matinee is in the afternoon. Likewise, a mother is always working. The former teacher in me had to learn the correct grammatical term for such a redundant statement--

It's the opposite of an oxymoron--it's a Pleonasm defined as:
1. the use of more words than are necessary to express an idea; redundancy.
2. an instance of this, as free gift or true fact, wet water
3.a redundant word or expression.

Here's to MOTHERS!! We are ALL working our butts off!!*

*well, not literally, I think mine has gotten bigger with motherhood!