it's not/it isn't

[Katrina]

--- In HPFGU-OTChatter at yahoogroups.com, "bluesqueak" <pipdowns at e...> 
wrote:
>  > Sophia wrote:
> > Here's a question for all you native English-speakers. I've long 
> > wanted to know the answer to this question, but it only recently 
> > occurred to me to try my luck on this list:
> > 
> > Is there any difference in tone and or usage between 
saying "it's 
> > not" and "it isn't"?

I would say (not being a linguist, but a native speaker) that "It's 
not" places emphasis on the word, "not."  Whereas, "It isn't" (to 
me) implies emphasis on the topic.

An example that was used was the difference between "It isn't 
raining" and "It's not raining."  The second sounds more emphatic or 
even argumentative.  

Does it make sense if I say that the contraction softens the 
emphasis?  

OK, to me, emphasis on the negative would increase in somewhat this 
manner.

"It isn't raining."
"It's not raining."
"It is not raining."
"It is NOT raining!"
It. Is. Not. Raining.

(OK, so maybe the last one isn't really grammatically correct, but 
you get the idea, anyway."

Katrina, who really needs to put down the keyboard and back away 
slowly. . .