[Lexicog] Derogatory (?) endings

[Fritz Goerling]

Patrick,

Why does "poetess" or "scuptress" sound derogatory to your or to a
contemporary English speaker's
ears? I asked other British and American English speakers who did not think
so. What is the
connotation? Does "lady poet" sound better?
You know German enough to confirm that it is impossible to refer to a female
poet/lady poet/poetess
by the term Dichter (that is reserved for male poets). She is a Dichterin
with -in as the feminine suffix.
And how about other word formations with - ess like "empress"? I cannot see
that this is
demeaning.

Fritz Goerling
  Patrick Hanks wrote:

  Your point about "mademoiselle" reminds me of Italian "professoressa",
  which sounds derogatory to my English ears (thinking of English "poetess",
  "sculptress", etc.), a connotation which apparently does not exist for
  Italian native speakers.

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