docs: def singularize(word):
      """
      Converts the inputted word to the single form of it.  This method works
      best if you use the inflect module, as it will just pass along the
      request to inflect.singular_noun.  If you do not have that module, then a 
      simpler and less impressive singularization technique will be used.
      
      :sa         https://pypi.python.org/pypi/inflect
      
      :param      word        <str>
      
      :return     <str>
      """
      word = toUtf8(word)
      if inflect_engine:
          result = inflect_engine.singular_noun(word)
          if result is False:
              return word
          return result
  
      # go through the different plural expressions, searching for the
      # proper replacement
      if word.endswith('ies'):
          return word[:-3] + 'y'
      elif word.endswith('IES'):
          return word[:-3] + 'Y'
      elif word.endswith('s') or word.endswith('S'):
          return word[:-1]
  
      return word