def _lower_locale(self, locale):
    """
    Converts the given locale string value
    to the lower version of it.

    :type locale: String
    :param locale: The lower locale string value to
    be converted.
    :rtype: String
    :return: The lower locale string value.
    """

    # converts the locale to lower, then replaces
    # the slashes with underscores and finally returns
    # the locale lower (value) to the caller method
    locale_lower = locale.lower()
    locale_lower = locale_lower.replace("-", "_")
    return locale_lower