Since these lenses are designed for use with Nikon bodies, do you actually get 17-55mm on a AF-S DX 17-55mm f2.8G IF-ED lens?

DX means they'll only cover the sensor on the digital slr's, not the size of film on the film cameras. If you used the 17-55DX at 17mm on a dslr, the image will be the same as the 17-35 at 17mm. If you used both on a film camera, they'd both look the same except the image from teh DX lens would have dark corners.

The lenses project an image on the sensor/film. DX lenses project a smaller circle.