I like Tuna's answer better, but I'll take my own stab at it. Because in this case, "American" means "Good" potato salad and I didn't want any confusion with "German" potato salad. The mayonnaise was a key improvement, which acts as a sponge to soak up all the delicious flavor of the potatoes, celery, onions, etc. All vegetarian crap, you should love american potato salad! Though I'm curious what other dishes we put "american" in front of.
