An often insulting term for Italian-Americans and/or Irish-Americans to describe Irish or Italians who abandon their working class/blue collar roots to pursue a more upper class/white collar career - such as, for example, a lawyer, doctor or, in some situations, a cop. The term is most commonly used in the New England region of the United States. Like nigger or nigga for black people, when used among fellow Italian-Americans or Irish-Americans, it's not too controversial; otherwise, it can be seen as quite offensive. The term is used a few times in Martin Scorsese's acclaimed 2006 crime drama, The Departed.