You might be onto something here - your thought actually helps explain why it doesn't matter that there are 10 (or 11 or more) Zones, because when working with black and white analog photography you are able to play infinite continuous tones.
Exactly, and this is why the release curves for film are done at Kodak on specially cast continuous tone wedges. They are not stepped. And, they are phenomenally expensive!
This is just about what you and I discussed offline!