Chapter 2. Written discourse genres

The concept of discourse genre has been a focus of analysis and discussion in recent literature. Multiple alternative conceptions and classifications have been advanced, from both theoretical and empirical perspectives. During the last ten to fifteen years an important debate has taken place in linguistics. However, the elusive and divergent conceptions underlying this concept sometimes encounter extreme opposite viewpoints. This chapter offers an interdisciplinary theoretical approach in order to reach an integral conception. Thus, accepting the social and semiotic factors involved, we propose a theoretical framework and a definition with an emphasis on a cognitive perspective and on a subject’s active role in its construction. At the same time, a proposition for academic and professional genres construction in disciplinary domains is advanced.