“In Italy, when a person has no idea what to say, they usually start with Allora…

It buys time. Allora is well-versed on versatility. Adaptable as water, it conforms itself to almost any scenario.

The dictionary will tell you that Allora means ‘so’ or ‘thus’, but, in reality, the meaning of the word depends on who you are and how you say it.

…..My grandfather was an artisan and an Allora man. For my grandfather Allora served innumerable purposes. It was ‘let’s see now’ and ‘let’s get to the bottom of this’. Allora was ‘what do you think?’ and ‘where do we go from here?’ 

Allora was what he said every time he sat on his stool to make a new mirror. It was a word the man used to collect his strength, the prelude to all creative effort. But it was also the culmination of a job that pleased him. 

Once he finished his etching, he would hold the mirror up for me to see. ‘Allora, tell me, is the work to your liking?’”

(If They Are Roses: The Italian Way with Words, Linda Falcone, The Florentine Press, May 2008)