'Required:
the_string -- the string to parse
Returns:
a string if the_string contains number type information
None, otherwise
Logic:
the_string might look like:
USERNAME \* Arabic \* MERGEFORMAT
Get the \* Upper part. Use a dictionary to convert the "Arabic" to
a more-readable word for the value of the key "number-type".
(<field number-type = "Arabic">'

def __parse_num_type(self, the_string):

    match_group = re.search(self.__num_type_exp, the_string)
    if match_group:
        name = match_group.group(1)
        changed_name = self.__number_dict.get(name)
        if changed_name:
            return changed_name
        else:
            sys.stderr.write('module    is    fields_string\n')
            sys.stderr.write('method    is    __parse_num_type\n')
            sys.stderr.write(('no    dictionary    entry    for    %s\n' % name))
