      *  The code needs be able to find out if the locale style has been changed
      *  from earlier.
      */
-    mx_internal var localeStyle:String = null;
+    mx_internal var localeStyle:* = undefined;
 
     /**
      *  @private

     */
    private function localeChanged():void
    {
        const newlocaleStyle:String = getStyle("locale");

        if (localeStyle == newlocaleStyle)
            return;

        localeStyle = newlocaleStyle;

        // following such rule here. We update the lastOperationStatus only when
        // locale is undefined.

        if ((localeStyle === undefined) || (localeStyle === null))
        {
            fallbackLastOperationStatus
                                = LastOperationStatus.LOCALE_UNDEFINED_ERROR;
