As far as I understand the English grammar, most things work strict right-associative:
Why (is (this flower (not (on (the table))))), but on the floor?
Why (is (not (this flower (on (the table))))), but the other one?
In old English literature and poetry, you (I) can sometimes feel the old relationship to the German language, where the "not" is more flexible positioned. (The "not" is left-associative in German, but not the whole sentence.) The important part of a sentence is always at the beginning, like the interrogative pronoun.
If the question is sth. like: Where must this stay?/Where has this to stay?
Then the answer may be: Here / Not here … must this stay! / has this to stay!
This does sound OK or at least not too old in German, but I believe that this sounds really strange for native English speakers.
Like this, the position of the word "not" is still somehow flexible in the newer English language, but the habit allows less.
Please correct me, if I'm wrong. (Or if my English is wrong.)