So if for example you rotate through about 9 degrees and the aircraft leaves the ground at this point, you continue to (say) 15 degrees - which would have involved a tail strike but for the fact you are now airborne?
- exactly. Assumptions are right speed, right weights and correct rotation rate.
On landing, 'Vref' (reference touchdown speed), will probably have an element of 'geometry' in it and normally one could still be flying much slower but with grinding noises from the tail.